If Google is showing you this page directly, click here to go to the start of the article.
Sound performance
My main sources were: FiiO Q7 / Astell&Kern PA10 / Hifiman EF600, trusted sources from trusted brands that I used extensively for the past months.
Files were played from either Apple Music / Spotify or my own music library. Some tracks will be highlighted, just so you can try them at home too!
Overall signature
So, how does FiiO’s TOTL IEM fare compared to its own siblings, or other flagships like Nostalgia audio’s Camelot? The brand could pack all of their most advanced features, that would mean nothing if the FA19 doesn’t sound, at least, as the old FA7S. Fortunately, that’s the case!
Out of the box, plugged right into my MacBook on a YouTube video, the prowess of the FiiO FA19 were immediately palpable. There’s an immense gap between this one, and the previous FA, in every way. The mids are sharper, the highs are crisper but never harmful, and the lows go infinitely lower overthrowing almost all of FiiO’s previous model – even dynamic driven one.
On Dream Of Love from Nox Vahn, Mimi Page, I felt completely immersed and heard those “lush vocals and exceptionally pure, natural sound” that FiiO talked about previously. The 3D sensation is nothing short of amazing, and the FA19 outperformed my old FA7S in this regard, by quite a margin. Of course, this is much more palpable on a DAP like the FiiO M15S, but even plugged with my ddHiFi TC44 and the iPhone, on Apple Music, the ears were able to create an astounding sound stage, where I could accurately pinpoint each instrument, every time.
If your main focus is realism and accuracy, once again the FiiO FA19 nailed it. It delivers crisp details and small notes without overloading your ears. Also, as advertised, I never encountered any sibilance, nor harshness, whether on bad, or good recordings, the FA19 soothing the usual 8kHz peak, but without shaving out the details. It’s a subtle balance, beautifully nailed by the team.
Powerful mids, good impact, natural voices, powerful bass, and excellent clarity from top to bottom. Plus, it does so with a nice level of finesse, one you can only get with multi-BA drivers like the FA19, Nostalgia Audio Camelot, or the 64Audio A18S (if you really want to go high-end). Compared to the FiiO FA7S, my previous “go-to-reference” with the brand, the FA19 adds a good level of aeration, layering, and more simply, performances. It calms what could be hard, and enhanced what couldn’t be heard.
Paired with the FiiO KA17 – another true gem – the bass remained full and engaging, going deep enough to give you the same morning kick as a cup of coffee. The rumble, the body, the power, all of those were there, so I could enjoy every little nuance of the sound, delivering crisp details, accurate soundstage, and massive dynamic range without overloading your ears. And, as usual, the brand also pushes a good level of aeration, layering and, more simply, performances.
Layering was equally impressive, and rock/pop tracks like Close as we get from Prep , outlined the resolution and clarity of those ears, in the best possible way. Treble-wise they output astonishingly accurate voices: from Katie Melua, to Melody Gardot or even Katy Perry, every female singer I listened to sounded simply fantastic – even more when magnified by a good source.
They excelled on almost every genre, but on my usual techno track list, I was engulfed from start to finish, justifying their MRSP on every occasion. Simply put: they sound awesome! Really.
Tonality
Highs: exquisite. If FiiO’s highs have always been good, they never reached the level of prestige displayed by the FA19. By far the best highs you could get from all FiiO’s line-up in my opinion! There is no sibilant and you can confidently raise the volume never to encounter any harshness. The highs/super-highs difference didn’t strike me, but on my usual techno track, the result was simply scrumptious!
Good test-track : Truth is – SRA
Mediums: FiiO’s pinnacle. Exceptional soundstage and clean mids make for a very pleasant experience. As usual, FiiO’s done an excellent job in this regard: voices are bliss, and the earphones can fully immerse you, in just a few seconds. The most impressive sensation remaining is the 3D effect of those voices when paired with a good source like the M17. It’s almost uncanny on Dolby Atmos tracks, where voices sound even more lifelike.
Good test-track: Money – Pink Floyd
Bass: the Big Bang. FiiO has rarely been shy towards the end of the spectrum, let alone than even their earbuds deliver some good bass. But, with the FA19, the brand really cranked the knobs to the max, with great success. Bass go abysmally low, and even the weakest source was able to extract some extra oomph on the go. Bravo!
Good test-track: Sacrifice – Sara Landry
Sensitivity / Hiss
Impedance is minimal, sensitivity is good and isolation is great, so yes, you better drive those IEMs with a good source. If not, they’ll magnify all and every flaws of your system. Paired with the FiiO KA17 I never had to use the high gain mode to get really good bass, and with the FiiO Q7, the result was simply bombastic!
My top choice? By far, the Astell&Kern PA10, paired with the FiiO M23: the perfect combination of finesse and accuracy, with just a touch of that sweet organic render offered by the A&K.
And for the hiss, you may encounter some with badly grounded sources, so be careful!
Conclusion
At $999 the FiiO FA19 can’t be considered affordable anymore. But, for this price, I do think they are one of, if not the best IEM you could get nowadays.
Think high-end chi-fi, or affordable luxury, but whatever the way you want to call it, they are a bang-for-a-buck, outpacing A LOT of similarly priced IEM, and even much pricier models. Paired with a good source, or even a moderate one like the FiiO Q15 – in case you blew away your budget in those IEM – the result is nothing short of breathtaking, giving you a precise, balanced, sound signature, with lively mids and deep bass, at every given volume.
Pack that in a super comfy 3D printed shell, and the FA19 sign the revival of FiiO as one of the most interesting brand, in the IEM world. So to the questions : should I put this much money on a set of ears? And, will I be gifted with true high-end sound? Personally, I’d say yes. A big yes. It is a new Recommended Buy winner!
Summary
Pros
- superb sound all the time
- lightweight design and super comfy shell
- amazing cable with replaceable termination
- solid bass, even with light sources or when playing low
- best IEM from the brand IMO
Cons
- a bit pricey
- nothing else for now




