FiiO FA19 has given a high sincerity in unit configuration, acoustic architecture, and actual sound performance. And the characteristics of easy-to-drive and easy-to-match are relatively pleasing.
FiiO FA19 specs and features:
- 10 Knowles balanced armature driver
- Rubycon audiophile-grade film capacitor crossover
- Monitor Mode & HiFi Mode
- DLP 3D printed shell
- 8 strands of 224 wires pure silver cable
- $999 – Check latest price on AliExpress, Amazon US or other Amazon countries
Appearance Design, Comfort and Accessories
The cavity shape of FiiO FA19 is similar to that of FiiO FX15, but the texture style of the panel is different. FA19 has a stronger sense of technology, while FX15 has more flexible lines. FA19 still has a switch, which is divided into monitor mode and HiFi mode. The sound of the latter is based on the former, with the addition of mid/low-frequency quantity, atmosphere, thickness, etc.
Because FA19 has 10 drive units, it is not small in size and thick, but the excellent ergonomic design, DLP 3D print technology and nozzle filter design are very reasonable – the fit and comfortable are very good. Users with small auricle need to be more cautious, because the cavity may protrude slightly after wearing it due to the thickness.
FiiO FA19 comes with a variety of eartips of different specifications, including sponge eartips, bass eartips, balanced eartips, vocal eartips, spinfit eartips, double-layer eartips and HS18 eartips – you can choose the right eartips according to your needs and preferences to get the best wearing experience and sound effects.
Equipped with 8 strands of 224 wires pure silver cable, the same as FiiO FH9 and FiiO FX15. Pure silver cable has better conductivity and faster high-frequency signal transmission speed, so pure silver cable mainly has a significant improvement in highs and low-frequency. The high-frequency is delicate, well resolved, and improves airiness. The low-frequency improves the atmosphere and has better extension. Plus, it is also equipped with 3.5mm and 4.4mm interchangeable plugs.
Acoustic Architecture and Technology
FiiO FA19 uses 10 Knowles armature drivers (each earphone), which can obtain higher energy density and information volume in the frequency band. Especially when playing back high-frequency signals, it can increase the sound pressure and obtain a better airiness.
FA19 also uses FiiO’s latest low-frequency negative feedback technology, which uses DLP 3D printing technology to better guide low-frequency energy to the rear cavity, thereby reducing the resonant frequency of the rear cavity and enhancing low-frequency extension. This technology not only makes FA19 have the characteristics of high information content and rapid rebound speed of armature driver, but also has strong low-frequency extension depth.
FA19 uses the patented S.Turbo acoustic structure, which mainly filters the high-frequency signals of the low-frequency unit. According to the frequency response characteristics of the low-frequency unit, a long acoustic duct is designed to match it, filter out the high-frequency signals of the low-frequency unit, reduce the energy superposition and interference of the high-frequency signal with other units, and achieve the effect of low-pass filtering. This patented structure can retain the transparency and resolution of the mid-frequency vocal without losing the low-frequency sound pressure.
It is worth noting that FA19 also uses an intermediate frequency notch acoustic device to filter out the high-frequency signal of the intermediate frequency unit, achieving a low-pass filtering effect without sacrificing the sound pressure of other frequency bands. Therefore, the crossover point between the intermediate frequency and high frequency of FA19 is advanced to 3.5kHz.
FA19 uses Rubycon audiophile-grade film capacitor crossover with an accuracy of ±10%. Plus, filters are designed to meet different user needs. The default is monitor mode (ON), and the frequency response is increased by 2~3dB from 20-600Hz to improve the fullness of the low-frequency and the thickness of the mid-frequency vocals.
Sound Quality of FiiO FA19
Low-frequency: Built-in low-frequency enhanced armature driver, by increasing the number of units and optimizing the unit design, increasing the diaphragm amplitude, and thus enhancing the low-frequency quantity and extension depth. Actual hearing – low-frequency quantity, elasticity and texture are all excellent. The low-frequency extension and ultra-low frequency are very complete, and the separation is sufficient. It can be felt that the drum sound and the vocals are separated by a very obvious distance. The low-frequency layering is clear and distinct, making the music details richer.
Mid-frequency: Built-in two Knowles mid-frequency armature drivers, with excellent resolution and density, can show the details and emotions of the human voice. Actual hearing – The vocal is clear, natural and very appealing, whether male or female, it can show unique charm. The mid-frequency tone is loose and comfortable to listen to. The mid-low frequency is seamlessly connected, without the sense of oppression caused by too much information, but rather naturally showing the thickness and charm of the vocals.
High-frequency: Built-in two Knowles SWFK-31736 armature drivers are responsible for high-frequency and ultra-high frequency. The vibration frequency is extremely high, and the high-frequency extension is better than the dynamic driver, extending to 10kHz or even 20kHz. Actual hearing – the high-frequency is rich in details, the tone is bright and transparent. Overall, the high-frequency feeling brought to me by FA19 is both quality and musicality, and it can be closely connected with other frequency bands, and the overall completion is very high.
Soundstage: Both the horizontal and vertical soundstages are wide enough to make the music sound more spatial and layered. The instrument positioning is very accurate, which can well show the details in the music, making the music sound more realistic. The soundstage is very open in the Y-axis direction, which is suitable for listening to Live music, and can bring very good instrumental separation, reverberation and overtone extension. The only drawback is that the imaging is slightly backward.
Monitor Mode and HiFi Mode (ON/I)
Monitor Mode: More emphasis on accuracy and restoration. The sense of lines and cohesion are very strong, and the transparency and listening tolerance are balanced on the basis of tri-frequency balance. Overall, it is a slightly biased tuning direction towards female voices and instruments.
HiFi Mode: Compared with the monitor mode, the low-frequency quantity of HiFi mode is improved, the extension depth is deeper, and there is a certain sense of diffusion. On the basis of the monitor mode, the energy, thickness and density of the vocal are appropriately strengthened. The energy and density of the mid-frequency are also greatly improved. The mouth shape of the mid-frequency human voice will be slightly enlarged, and the imaging will be clearer. In this mode, the FA19 will perform more mellowly for pop vocals, especially male voices.
Overall, the usability of both tuning modes is very high. However, there is also a problem with the ON/I switch – it cannot be operated barehanded and requires the use of tools.
Conclusion
FiiO FA19 has demonstrated the quality of its flagship positioning in terms of appearance design, acoustic configuration and wearing experience. Although its price of $1,000 is relatively high, but it is very competitive.
Check the FiiO FA19 price:
- Check latest price on AliExpress
- Check latest price on Amazon US
- Check latest price on other Amazon countries
