Sound Impressions
I tested the F1 Pros with my Hiby R6 Pro II set to hi-gain in AB mode, at a volume level of 24.
It’s at once noticeable they’re fairly V-shaped with very airy treble and a surprisingly wide soundstage, and thanks to their planar drivers technical performance is excellent for this price bracket.
Bass
Sub bass goes very deep on the F1 Pros. Although there’s a decent amount of heft, bass texture can be a little pillowy but there’s a fair amount of rumble and slam. Music which tends to focus on sub bass rather than midbass tends to sound more satisfying on the F1 Pros.
Bassheads may be disappointed by the insubstantial bass texture & may yearn for even greater quantity, but there’s enough bass present to really enjoy bass-driven genres whilst preserving a feeling of clarity.
Midrange
This is where the key drawback of a planar driver is felt – the F1 Pro midrange suffers from the same slightly unnatural tonality plaguing other planar driver IEMs.
NiceHCK have managed to curb the worst planar tendencies so it’s not as metallic as other planer IEMs I’ve heard, but there’s a feeling of hollowness to male & female vocals which tend to lack body, though they have the virtue of being very resolving.
Treble
Treble is quite emphasised, which is where the F1 Pros really excel & differentiate themselves from the competition. Low-cost IEMs typically deliver very simplified treble that can often be quite grainy, but that’s not the case here.
Instead F1 Pro treble is refined & effortless with an abundance of detail, with quantity tastefully boosted so it gets more of your attention. Treble isn’t excessively bright to my ears but I wouldn’t want it any more intense either, so you if you’re treble sensitive the F1 Pros may push your tolerance levels.
Technical Performance
The first thing to jump out is the F1 Pro’s soundstage. It’s not only enviably wide, even by the standards of earphones worth hundreds of dollars, but demonstrates a surprising amount of depth. There’s a feeling of spaciousness conveyed we rarely see at this price.
Resolution is excellent considering its a single driver doing all the work – another strength of planar drivers. I really don’t get the sense one driver is struggling to cover the entire frequency spectrum here the way I do with most single-DD IEMs, particularly budget variants. In fact resolution feels impressively spread throughout the frequency spectrum, not just concentrated in the midrange.
Then there’s the impressive speed of planar drivers which is definitely evident – the F1 Pros have no issues keeping up with complex passages of music in a way many single-DD’s struggle with.
Dynamics and imaging are both very solid without jumping out as strong attributes. From an overall technical perspective the F1 Pros do a commendable job of imitating multi-driver hybrid performance with just a single planar driver.
Page 1 – Introduction, Packaging & Ergonomics
Page 2 – Sound Impressions & Technical Performance
Page 3 – IEM Comparisons
Page 4 – Cable Comparisons
Page 5 – Conclusion
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