CONCLUSION

   When I reviewed the FA9 a couple of years ago I was impressed not only with the level of craftmanship by the guys over at FiiO but also the fact that I could tweak the audio parameters according to the type of music I was listening at just by using the small switches at the rear of each unit. Now even though it’s not quite as easy to swap the filters of the FH9 the end result is actually more natural compared to that of the FA9 with slightly better instrument separation (which can be both good and bad according to the music genre you’re listening to). Overall, however the clear and accurate audio produced by the FH9 is clearly one step above the FA9 and that alone could be the determining factor for some people. The FH9 are also almost twice as heavy as the FA9 and again that’s something that may drive away some potential buyers. Personally, I don’t really mind the extra weight because I never listen to music more than 1-2 hours at a time (and the titanium alloy enclosures are certain to last for a long time – same as the monocrystalline cable) but for people who do their weight may not agree with them. Finally in terms of bundle well there’s not much to say other than with a total selection of 16 ear tip pairs and a high-quality carrying/storage case like the HB5 I doubt you’ll find anything better in the market today.

   As i type these lines the FH9 IEM by FiiO retails for USD559.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for around 599Euros inside the EU a price tag which is actually more or less the same as it was at launch just over a year ago (which right now is probably a good thing). This means that the FH9 is not only considerably more expensive compared to the FA9 but they are also far from affordable. Still there are many similarly priced models in the market and even though i haven’t used or reviewed nearly enough of them to accurately compare with the FH9 things just can’t get much better and that’s all there’s to it and that’s also why it deserves the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Impressive Build Quality
- Audio Performance (Mids / Highs / Bass)
- 1 Dynamic & 6 Knowles BA Drives In Each Unit
- 3 Audio Filter Sets (Balanced / Bass / Treble)
- Design (For Some)
- Available Colours (Black / Silver)
- Detachable Cable with MMCX Gold Plated Connectors
- Secure Fit
- Rich Bundle (HB5 Carrying Case / 16 Pairs of Eartips / 2.5mm, 3.5mm & 4.4mm Gold Plated Jacks / Magnetic Cable Organizer / Cleaning Brush)

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Cable Thickness
- Weight