Tour: Fir Audio CIEM Lineup, Plus Bonus 5×5 Tour

Barra’s Quick Initial Impressions

The best part of managing tours is getting to hear all the great gear for myself. Here are some brief impressions from what I have heard so far between the tasks required to set up this tour:

• M5: Nailed it! This is that big bassy sound that i have so been craving. Yes, it rivals my EE LX as the bass king with a different take on bass. My first impressions is WOW as it is that different that my other CIEMs in a good way. The sound stage is huge, with players/instruments huge as if I was there. While this is not as warm of a signature as my LX, it is more intimate and close up for in your face fun. Yet it checks all the boxes for audiophile performance. This reminds me a bit of the A18 with the M20 module, but with better bass and lighter treble. Will be doing a full written and video review on this one so hang tight for comparisons and deeper insights. 
• M4: The M4 is extremely close to the M5 with more of a treble presence. All the bass is there, but the treble stands out more with more splash, sizzle, and air without ever being harsh. But going back to the M5, it is not missing any of this detail, just not as pronounced and more integrated. This is a great option to save some cash for treble lovers that want that M5 bass.
• M3: Again, that same bass driver is delivering the goods with a well defined house sound. The M3 is close to the SQ of the M4, but set back a little maybe one section back. While I prefer the M4’s more intimate signature, the M3 is pretty darn close in sound and retains the M4’s larger treble presence.
• M2: This was my biggest surprise and the greatest value play in the lineup. It has all that bass goodness the rest of the more expensive models boast which makes this lineup so much fun. However, the signature becomes more intimate closer to the M4 than the M3. While I do think that the M4 and M3 have more detailed performance, you would not notice without an A/B sampling as it feels like I am splitting hairs. 

Overall, I have to say that we are dealing with another CIEM manufacturer that is continuing to drive the top tier bar even higher. Yet they have carved out a new signature that is unique to the other manufacturer’s offerings that will definitely drive some solid sales. This lineup is a must hear if you are considering a CIEM purchase.

Rules and Responsibilities

Most of our tours are offering 7-day auditions which you are required to ship out to the next participant on day 8. Yes, you pay the shipping to the next participant, but we organize into logistically friendly orders to minimize the shipping expense.

The tour membership rules and responsibilities are described here. The key idea is that we must be communicative to participate and to keep the tour moving and interesting. It is our responsibility to follow these rules and to ensure the ability to ship out on day 8 when our turn is over.

Signing up for the Tour

To sign up for the tour, you must be a verified tour member and have joined our new AUDIOTIERs platform. The membership qualifications and requirements are described here if you are not already a member. Whether a HEADFI tour member that needs to transfer their membership to the new platform or you are a new member looking to apply for tour membership, please follow the instructions in the GETTING STARTED box below. We are now accepting applications from both US and Canadian citizens.