Before it’s available anywhere else, JVC’s new HA-FW1800 IEM is here on Drop. Equipped with the company’s flagship FW drivers in a lean build, these Japan-made earphones give you the best of both worlds: fidelity and affordability.
Are these going to have the shirt clip? The fit on the similar FDX-1 is horrible without either putting over ear or (much simpler) a shirt clip. The over ear barely works anyway with that model. I see a JVC branded one which fits the special oval shaped rubber cable on their website, so hopefully this will include one.
That's all it would take to fix the fit, since a shirt clip would carry all the weight of the cable and prevent seal loss.
I wasn't a huge fan of the HA-FDX1, it has a colder sound signature and carries less bass. I'd recommend the HA-FW1800 or HA-FW01, the wooden line has superior sound to me.
All I can say is , it took me months to figure out that I actually love the tonality of the FW-01 because the fit for me on them is horrendous. The worst of any iems I have ( or have ever had for that matter). They come with great tips (spiraldots ).. the problem is they don’t fit deep enough, won’t seal and feel like they’re always about to fall out. So with anything other than foams (Dekoni Mercury) that help them cling in my ear, they won’t stay in and seal. The foams don’t sound as good as the spiraldots but at least they seal and stay put, so it’s a compromise. Tried double flange too...they really screw with the sound because they covered the ports. Won’t be any more JVC in my future regardless of how good they sound.... unless they completely change the design. YMMV
What does one have to do to get a response from Drop's support regarding this? I have contacted support twice and no response! I need help with my purchase please!
EDIT: They have reached out to me already. Thank you. Still took about a week to do so but at least they did well after they have communicated with me. Thanks again.
Is there a way to tell these apart physically from the HA-FWO1? They look the same.
I’m afraid that if I get this, I’ll get them mixed up and have to go through some unwanted work to figure out which is which.
It’s a serious concern of mine because I don’t have time to mess with that kind of stuff.
Edit: OK. I see that the end caps are all gold on this one.
Gold end caps, and the included cable is different. These are a little heavier, which lead me to think the size was larger but side by side the body is the same.
I still need more listening time to do a full review, but these are everything you'd want from a JVC woodie. If you liked the HA-FW01 then jump on these. My only complaint is that they didn't include a cable wrap or clip, but the JVC website lists them as included accessories.
Early adoption certainly comes with it's pitfalls. Flagships also tend to not go on sale often... unless they were a flop or reach end of life and are about to be replaced. I don't think there is any malicious intent, just a value call that only the individual can make. For me I'll wait but I have always wanted a higher tier JVC woodie.
Well, the price is definitely keeping my enthusiasm in check. These are $600, and in my country with the terrible inflation that's more than 2 month's salary which isn't going to be coming because of CoVD :P So...yeah, I'm trying not to get hyped, but I can definitely see the appeal.
Can drop clarify the warranty of this?
BTW, it's interesting to see JVC doing this experiment with drop to gauge the interests. Traditionally they just don't sell their audiophile products like FW10000 in US.