Fiio FA19 review: Standout design, stellar sound

Fiio has exciting products in a range of categories, but IEMs are still its biggest focus. The brand has several dozen IEMs on sale, including traditional dynamic driver designs, hybrid models that use dynamic and balanced armature (BA) drivers, and tribrid models that include electrostatic drivers in addition to dynamic and BA drivers.

The FX15 is Fiio's only tribrid IEM as of writing, and coming in at $749, it is significantly costlier than the brand's other offerings — until now. Fiio also makes IEMs that solely use BA drivers, and the FA19 is the latest product in this series. With 10 BA drivers in each earbud and as asking price of $999 on Amazon, it is also the brand's costliest IEMs to date. 

Fiio says that the FA19 isn't an upgrade to the FA9; instead, it is a ground-up reimagining of the brand's BA offerings, and it has unique bass-focused drivers that give it a distinct presence in the low-end that isn't evident in its siblings. The brand collaborated with Knowles — the largest manufacturer of BA drivers — to create a custom driver with a larger vent, delivering better bass.

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I'll get to the sound in a little bit, but before that, let's talk about the design. Fiio uses 3D printed resin shells for a lot of its products, and that's no different with the FA19. The resin shells allow the FA19 to be lightweight, and the contoured design means you get a comfortable fit. I used the FA19 for the better part of two weeks now, and I didn't see any issues with comfort even with extended use.

The faceplate has a custom design that doesn't have any similarities to other Fiio IEMs, but I still prefer the frond-style design that's featured in the FX15. There's a toggle on the FA19 that lets you switch between mastering and Hi-Fi modes; the mastering mode has a neutral sound and is designed to be used for monitoring, and the latter has an exaggerated bass that sounds terrific.

The shells have a see-through design that lets you view the individual drivers and sound tubes that feed the audio to the nozzle. There's a vent at the back, and it affects noise isolation to a noticeable extent. The IEMs connect via MMCX connectors, and while these tend to be not as easy to use as standard 2-pin connectors, Fiio did a great job in this area, and the bundled tool lets you easily detach the cable.

On that subject, the FA19 has one of the best accessory package in this category. You get a total of 18 pairs of ear tips, including silicone balanced, bass-focused, and vocal tips along with memory foam options. The exhaustive selection means you're guaranteed to get a great fit, and Fiio also bundles the same HB5 case that you get with the FX15. The leather case that's exquisite; it is just the right size, and it easily holds the IEMs and the cable.

The cable itself is really good; the 8-strand silver cable has a braided design and a sheath that gives it added resilience, and it has a modular connector that lets you switch between 4.4mm and 3.5mm with ease.

Coming to the sound, the FA19 houses ten Knowles BA drivers in each earbud; there are four custom bass drivers, two ED mid-range drivers, and four SWFK treble drivers. Fiio uses a negative feedback bass enhancement system that reduces low-frequency sounds to the rear cavity of the earbud, delivering detailed bass. There's also the brand's S.Turbo that prevents crossover from the low-frequency to the mids.

In addition to the custom bass driver, Fiio says it collaborated closely with Knowles to optimize the sound of the mid- and high-frequency drivers. The result is a sound signature that's very different to most BA IEMs; the bass in particular is incredible, with a lot of energy and vibrancy. Toggling the IEMs to Hi-Fi mode kicks things up a notch, with the sub-bass and mid-bass frequencies getting even more pronounced.

The mid-range is clean and detailed, with a forward presentation for the vocals. There's good instrument separation, terrific dynamics, and from a technical point of view, the FA19 nails the basics. The treble has good range, and there's no sibilance whatsoever; it's not as detailed as the FX15, but it comes close.

With a sensitivity of 106dB and 10Ω, it's effortlessly easy to drive the FA19. I used it with the K19 DAC, M23 audio player, and KA13 dongle, and ideally, you'll need something on the same level as the KA13 to get the most out of the IEMs.

Overall, Fiio did a stellar job with the FA19. The BA IEM segment isn't as extensive as hybrid options, and by using a vented design along with custom bass drivers, the FA19 manages to deliver detailed bass that's closer to large dynamic drivers. The soundstage is wide and inviting, and you get a comfortable fit thanks to the generous options in the box. I still prefer the FX15's sound — particularly with the music I listen to — but the FA19 is a technical powerhouse, and if you IEMs with all-BA drivers, it is a terrific choice.