Accessories Review of Fidue A33, A65, and A73 in-ear headphones w/remote with lots of pics!!!

[twister6]

This is a review of the latest Fidue A33, A65, and A73 IEM models. http://www.fidue.com/index_cn.asp

No matter if it's their budget or flagship model, one thing you can always count on with Fidue is a very unique design and presentation that makes them stand out from the crowd. Founded by a well known Chinese earphones designer Benny Tan, the name of the company is actually an acronym for: F (Fidelity, Natural original voice of high fidelity), I (Inspired, The resonance of soul), D (Durable, Long-lived quality), U (Unique, the unique design), and E (Enjoyable, enjoy happily). Though the level of "Fidelity" will vary from model to model, everything else is applicable to all of their headphones. But at the end of the day eye-candy presentation is not enough, and we base our final decision on a sound quality to determine which model will suite our needs better. I hope my review will help you with this decision if you find yourself at the crossroad with these new Fidue IEMs.

Starting with their more basic A33 model ($29.90, http://penonaudio.com/FIDUE-A33), despite its lower price and a single 8mm dynamic driver design, you still get a nice and clear packaging with a display presentation of headphones peaking through the front "window". This packaging is complete with a signature green background and a design/functionality description on the front and company background info on the back. A comprehensive Spec is listed on the back as well.

With this being a "basic" model, don't expect too many accessories. You get only 3 pairs of S/M/L eartips, but I do have to mention these are not some cheap disposable eartips but rather a step up with a better quality and a nicer springy cap. I didn't even have to do tip rolling going through my eartip collection, picking the Large one worked for me without a problem.

A33 - Unboxing and accessories.

The design A33 is not necessary premium, but it looks durable enough. Starting with a headphone plug, you have right angle connector and molded rubbery housing which goes into a flat "noodle" style cable. Going up, y-splitter is also a small molded piece. Though there was no strain relief around the plug or splitter, flat rubber shielding of the wire should give some level of bend protection at the joints. Right side of the cable going to earpiece has in-line remote with a single multi-function button and a mic opening.

Remote is plastic and small enough to match the overall theme of the design. The button on the remote has the same matching golden color as earpieces. Remote itself has a basic single click Play/Pause/Call functionality and double-click to skip to the next track. Obviously, this is a universal remote without volume control since iOS and Android differ in this respect. Though I don't have access to super noisy environment, testing phone call quality yielded an ok results, and having remote/mic closer to my face helped with voice pickup. Also, typical for flat cable design, microphonics effect is present when cable rubs against your cloth.

Moving up to cylindrical lightweight aluminum earpieces, cable attaches through an interesting molded piece which goes around the middle of the earpiece and extends to form a strain relief. In there, you can find a stamped L/R marking, but they are very hard to see. Luckily, I was using in-line remote located on the right side as my guidance to determine L/R earpiece. Earpieces themselves have a traditional cylindrical design, golden color finish, a matching golden wire mesh covering a nozzle, and a pinhole vent opening on the back.

A33 - Design details and fitment.

When it comes to sound quality, I gotta be honest I wasn't too crazy about it at first. A33 has L-shape sound dominated by enhanced sub-/mid-bass and with rolled off treble. You get a serious boost of low end which makes sound somewhat muddy and also bleeds into lower mids. Mids are warm and thick, a little pushed back behind low end boost, and treble doesn't extend too far. It almost feels like someone applied an EQ to filter out all the upper frequencies. But luckily you can restore the sound by trimming down bass around 31Hz and 63Hz and boosting highs around 8kHz and 16kHz. It responds really well to EQ adjustment and with a right tweaking you can actually shape a sound to a rather decent sig.

I found soundstage to be below average in width/depth. With the original tuning the separation and layering wasn't even worth mentioning since everything sounded like a hot mess, but with EQ tweaking I was able to make a serious progress. It paired up well with my Note 4 where with a default stock audio player I was able to use Samsung internal effects matrix to tune it for vocal performance which yielded quite a nice sound signature. My advice, if you really like the look of these IEMs and want something durable for everyday use, these my suite your needs as long as you willing to adjust the sound to shape it to your liking.

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Moving on to A65 ($65, http://penonaudio.com/FIDUE-A65), now we are getting into a higher quality offering from Fidue. Though still with 8mm dynamic driver, this one is actually a Titanium driver which typically offers a more controlled and tighter low end and clear mids and treble. Keeping up with a more premium quality in comparison to A33, A65 packaging has a sturdier carton box with a foam/felt cutout tray that houses IEMs and eartips. You are still getting a traditional "F" checker graphics pattern and a section with a green background going over design details. Of course, you should expect a detailed Spec on the back as well.

With accessories, in addition to 3 pairs of the same S/M/L silica gel eartips, you also get a pair of double-flange tips, a shirt clip, and a storage drawstring pouch. Storage pouch has actually a nice to the touch finish. In theory, these are not necessary a premium accessories, but it's nice how Fidue distinguishes A65 model from A33.

A65 - Unboxing and accessories.

While accessories might not be necessary of a top premium quality, the design makes up for it and then some! Looking at the straight slim gold plated headphone plug you will recognize finish of Pistons headphone plugs - a very similar design with a laser etched fine grooves and a nice strain relief. Cable has a semi transparent rubbery shielding with a grippy touch and bi-color wires you can see through this shielding. The wires are actually upgraded 7N purity OFC which should definitely improve sound quality. There is a little bit of microphonics effect, but not too bad. Moving up to a y-splitter, it has a matching slim cylindrical shape with a same finish as headphone plug and a nice strain relief on both sides. The same for the wire going to the right earpiece with a cool in-line remote with mic.

And again, the in-line remote has a matching cylindrical design and the same fine-groove etched finish, including the same strain relief on both sides. What makes this remote even more special is a discrete multi-function button with a single click function of Play/Pause/Call and double-click function to skip a track. Just like A33, this is a universal in-line remote without volume control. Phone call quality was good, and my voice was heard loud and clear thanks to remote/mic being closer to the face.

Moving up to the shell - this is where A65 really stands up above competition. The main body of the shell is made out of what appears to be a solid copper, while the back of the shell has thicker stainless steel plate with a cool "F" logo etching. The nozzle part of A65 also seems to be either aluminum or some alloy. You do feel a little bit of extra weight when holding them in your hands, but they do sit comfortably in my ears with a wire down. Furthermore, there is a pinhole vent at the bottom of the nozzle and another vent on the back under the metal plate facing the wire attachment. Speaking of that attachment, it has a nice strain relief and the same problem with L/R marking which is hard to see. But Fidue also added an ID bump on Right side of strain relief so you can distinguish L/R side in the dark just by sliding a finger. If everything else fails, in-line remote/mic is on the right.

 

[twister6]

A65 - Design details and fitment.

Listening closer to A65, I found these titanium driver IEMs to have a neutral-balanced sound signature. It sounds almost flat, but not "boring" flat but rather more exciting, more dynamic, more musical. Even so you shouldn't expect any bass enhancement, low end is very well controlled and actually has a decent quality with a clear sub-bass details and mid-bass punch with a moderate speed. Nothing spills into lower mids. As a matter of fact lower mids have a little bit of body, not too much warmth but enough to add some thickness to overall sound. Upper mids are bright and clear, and just slightly forward. Nothing is harsh or grainy or overly bright like in some other titanium driver IEMs. It's not super detailed, but enough to appreciate non-analytical smooth sound. Treble has excellent extension, bright and crispy without crossing sibilance threshold.

Soundstage is average, and with that has a nice layering and separation effects, though I wouldn't say it has super accurate 3D placement. Overall it has a very nice bright clear sound which is great for extended listening period.

Comparison to other IEMs.

a65 vs Pistons 2 - P2 has a whole lot more mid-bass boost, thinner lower mids, more balanced upper mids, and overall mids with a less natural tonality, not as bright or clear. Treble is not as extended. Soundstage of P2 is a bit wider.

a65 vs UE600 - 600 has a very similar low end performance, except it's not as tight or as smooth. Lower mids are similar, but upper mids are a little more forward and harsher. Treble is very similar. Soundstage has the same depth, but width is a bit wider. Overall, A65 has a smoother and more natural sound.

a65 vs KC06A - 06A has more mid-bass impact, thinner lower mids, upper mids are a lot harsher, brighter, grainier, and a bit more forward. Treble extension is similar, but 06A is a bit crispier. A65 gives more depth to a sound.

a65 vs VSD3 - VSD3 has a deeper sub-bass and a more aggressive mid-bass punch, a bit thinner lower mids, brighter and harsher upper mids which a slightly pushed back in comparison. Same treble extension but VSD3 is a touch crispier. Similar soundstage.

a65 vs E80 - very similar low end performance, though I think a65 has a touch more rumble. E80 lower mids are a touch thinner and upper mids are a little brighter and a bit more forward with a higher level of detail retrieval and better transparency. Treble in E80 has slightly more extension and a little brighter. Soundstage is more open, airy and a little better in width/depth.

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With A73 ($149, http://penonaudio.com/FIDUE-A73) Fidue just took another step closer to a flagship status. Their 3-way hybrid A83 was and still is in the top 5 of my favorite IEMs, but the more I listen to A73 the more I start to realize it can move closer and stand right next to its big brother. It doesn't matter that A83 is a hybrid with a single dynamic and dual BA drivers while A73 is a hybrid with 10mm dynamic and a single BA drivers. What matters is how well Fidue tuned this IEM which now challenges a sound quality of some of my other headphones that cost a lot more.

Keeping up with its premium status, the packaging of A73 has a black distinct background finish with a cover art featuring image of these IEMs. As expected and consistent with their presentation, you also get a "green" section with a summary of features and a detailed Spec list on the back. Upon opening the box, you see a nice foam cutout with a hardshell zippered case in the middle and A73 shells, shining like a pair of jewelries. The first thing that jumped into my head was a resemblance of A73 shell design with A83, looking like a scaled down mini-me version.

With accessories, Fidue took one more “premium” step by offering an oval zippered hardshell case (exactly the same one as in A71 model) in addition to 3 sets of S/M/L silicone eartips, a pair of double flange tips, and a shirt clip. I would have loved to see more included eartips (maybe hybrid style), maybe ear-guides (more about it later), and perhaps a more unique case designed by Benny. Without a doubt, A73 has a premium feel and design, so I’m just suggesting a more premium selection of accessories in comparison and as a step up from A65.

A73 - Unboxing and accessories.

One look at A73, and you quickly realize that cable design is nearly identical to A65, just has red strain relief details. Similarly, you will find a straight slim gold plated headphone plug with a laser etched fine grooves and a nice strain relief. Cable has a semi transparent grayish rubbery shielding with a grippy touch and silvery-color wires you can see through a shielding. The wires are not just high quality, but actually Silver-plated quality – always a higher level of sound improvement you can expect from any pair of headphones using these. I know this is not A83, but I did miss mmcx connector to try A73 with other cables. There is a little bit of microphonics effect, but not too bad. Moving up to a y-splitter, it has a matching slim cylindrical shape with a same finish as headphone plug and a nice strain relief on both sides. Also, the cable going to the right earpiece has in-line remote with mic.

Similar to A65, the in-line remote has a matching cylindrical design and the same fine-groove etched finish, including the same strain relief on both sides. The only difference in there is a red discrete multi-function button which matches the whole red-color accent theme. The functionality has a single click Play/Pause/Call and double-click function to skip a track. Just like A33 and A65, this is a universal in-line remote without volume control. Phone call quality was good, and my voice was heard loud and clear thanks to remote/mic being closer to the face.

While cable is similar in design to A65, the earpieces look closer in shape and fitment to A83. The shell is actually smaller and more compact in design. The fitment is also not as deep, which means you need to play around with tighter fitting eartips - at least that's what I had to do to make sure they stay put in my ears. Cable is soft but with a little bit of springy effect, and I miss having a chin slider (cable chocker) to keep wires closer together behind the ears. With in-line remote this was not implemented, but still would have been cool even for the section of the wire after y-splitter and before remote. If you are having a bit of a problem with wire fitment over your ears, simple use a pair of earguides. If you can't find them bundled with some of your other headphones, you can always buy a pair for a dollar on ebay.

Similar to A83, earpiece design has an outer metal shell piece and an inner plastic (dark red theme carried over). There are two pinhole vents, at the bottom of the nozzle and at the end between shell joint. Cable attachment has a nice strain relief as well. Despite combination of metal and plastic material, earpieces are still lightweight and feel very comfortable, to the point where you can lie down on the pillow with your ear without causing any discomfort.

A73 - Design details and fitment.

I gotta be honest with you that I had high expectations for A73 sound quality. I enjoyed dual dynamic driver A71, but found it to be a bit on a warmer/bassier side (nothing that EQ can’t fix). A83 is fantastic, but dual-BA addition can make it a little too bright and even a bit harsh, the reason why I’m using A83 now with Whiplash Pure copper replacement cables. I secretly wanted A73 to take the best of both worlds and merge it into a happy medium. Perhaps Fidue heard my wish and that’s exactly what A73 is all about!

These IEMs have a very nicely balanced fun sound signature with an excellent retrieval of details and slightly enhanced low end. They have a decent low end extension and go down to sub-bass level with a nice rumbling texture, perfectly balanced with a fast punchy mid-bass. There is a slight boost in mid-bass but low end is well controlled with nothing spilling into mids. Lower mids are smooth, not too thick, just with enough weight to create a better contrast with upper mids that have a very clear and detailed sound. Those are relatively bright and smooth, and never cross a threshold of harshness or being too bright which is typical with other hybrids. Treble has a great extension, crisp, bright, and non-sibilant.

Sound is very spacious and expanded with a great soundstage width/depth – definitely above average. Layering and separation is excellent between instruments and vocals. Also, due to an expanded soundstage, imaging is great with an impressive 3D placement of sounds. There was no need to use any EQ, and it was easy to drive A73 from any source.

Comparison to other IEMs.

a73 vs a83 - a73 has a deeper sub-bass and a bit stronger mid-bass punch, lower mids are similar but upper mids in a83 are brighter, more open, and with a slightly better retrieval of details. Treble in a83 is also a little brighter, crispier, and more detailed. A83 has a similar soundstage depth, but more width. A73 sound has a little more bass quantity, treble is a little less quantity, sound is smoother - all that while still having an excellent retrieval of details.

a73 vs Titan 1 - T1 has less sub-bass and less mid-bass, thinner lower mids, brighter and thinner upper mids, slightly more treble details. T1 sound is more open with better width/depth. Overall a73 is smoother, warmer, with more bass, and more organic mids.

a73 vs e80 - E80 has less sub-bass and mid-bass, similar lower mids, with a brighter upper mids which can give a sense of a more detailed and airy sound. Treble sounds similar, and I can say the same about soundstage - a very similar presentation to my ears. Overall, a73 sound is more dynamic, with better low end impact, smoother and warmer, and little more musical.

Conclusion.

All these 3 New Fidue models are definitely not competing with each other. Instead, they bring something new to the table with their unique design and a different sound signature. I wouldn't necessary call them giant killers (though A73 is punching in sound quality above their price point), but I can say with certainty they can hold their own in corresponding price categories. If you want something cheap and durable which still has a unique design and you don't mind tweaking EQ or playing with your smartphone sound presets - A33 is actually not that bad of a choice if you are on a tight budget. Just remember - it needs EQ adjustment unless if you prefer L-shaped bass driven sound. Doubling your budget takes you to the next level with A65 which sounds as good as it looks, and this is probably one of the few IEMs where I put sound and looks on the same level because that copper-body design is super cool. But it's not just about the looks but also the brain (in terms of a sound) where you get a smooth and clear titanium driver performance without any harsh metallic artifacts. From there, if you are willing to double your budget again, you will be facing an excellent 2-way hybrid design with a serious level of clarity and details, amazing soundstage, and impressive bass performance. Of course, doubling your budget again will take you up to A83 level, but if you are on a budget and don't necessary care about brighter and more analytical sound - A73 is one amazing value with a fantastic sound!