IEM Comparisons
I compared the FEATs to other IEMs with a Luxury & Precision P6 Pro set to hi-gain at 9/60 volume.
NiceHCK F1 Pro – 1xPlanar (USD $99)
F1 Pros are even more v-shaped than the FEATs, being thinner & brighter with far less dominant bass.
Though clearer & more transparent the midrange feels distant, vocals lack body & tonality can be metallic. Imaging can be vague but capable for a single driver & they’re more coherent than the FEATs.
F1 Pro features far less midbass and bass decay is much shorter, so although the FEATs are shoutier & more aggressive instruments also sound larger and the soundstage is wider.
Simgot EA1000 – 1xDD 1xPassive Radiator (USD $219) used with LC7 Cable (USD $69)
I pair the EA1000s with Simgot’s LC7 upgrade cable to turn them into a budget technical powerhouse.
The EA1000s have a wider & deeper soundstage than the FEATs, with slightly cleaner imaging. They’re more dynamic, open & detailed, but their Harman-inspired tonality is much thinner, cooler and brighter.
EA1000 note weight is lower but their DD feels faster, though that means bass decay is less satisfying and bass quantity is also lower than the FEATs. Treble sounds a bit more refined on the EA1000s, but their tonality is a lot less pleasant than the smoother & bassier FEATs.
Penon Fan2 – 2xDD 2xBA (USD $279)
The Fan2s are similar to the FEATs, beginning with their use of 2x DDs for bass. Though bass is faster & tighter, overall quantity is much lower than that of the FEATs, which are more v-shaped overall.
Instead the Fan2s are more polite & midrange-centric with darker & smoother treble that’s less grainy & glarey, and less upper midrange shout as well.
While the Fan2s are warmer, more refined & dynamic with a slightly wider soundstage, the FEATs boast a more excited & bassier sound with a blacker background.
ISN Neo5 – 4xBA 1xDD (USD $289)
Neo5s are more v-shaped, being brighter & more transparent. Bass isn’t emphasised quite as much and is biased more towards sub bass, but their single-DD is much slower & bass texture can feel mushy.
I do find the Neo5s have a wider soundstage with slightly clearer imaging, a blacker background & better instrument separation, but their midrange is very upfront so they can feel aggressive at times.
The FEATs by contrast have better note weight, are tonally smoother and definitely more coherent as those two DDs feel integrated with the BAs more seamlessly.
Penon Quattro – 4xDD (USD $399)
The Quattros are much smoother, warmer and more polite, with significantly darker treble that is utterly free of fatigue. FEATs feel quite shouty & fatiguing by direct comparison.
Quattro bass decays faster and texture isn’t quite as satisfying, nor are they as bassy in general, instead bass is integrated into the rest of the presentation more discreetly.
Quattro tonality is impeccable, with a deeper soundstage & more defined imaging, however both IEMs are similarly resolving, with FEATs feeling much thinner & brighter but also a bit more dynamic.
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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