haha, I always thought only the most passionate of "audiophiles" could like some of the FAD stuff.

Yes, indeed. Passionate? absolutely. "Audiophile," meh, perhaps. I am not sure what "audiophile" is supposed to mean. The more audiophiliac and experienced I become, the more I find disdain for the term. And I am especially weary of the self-proclaimed audiophiles, like you'll see on Amazon reviewing head gear, for example. I AM AN AUDIOPHILE, therefore everything I say must be the truth as such when Moses descended Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments. The Golden Eared audio gods have spoken. And only audiophiles can hear the truth.

So as much as "audiophile" is a term encompassing completely unknown and varied experience levels in reality, and is becoming increasingly associated with what seems to be baseless authority amongst the experienced - perhaps the most passionate find solace in not defining and labeling. Which also happens to make for a personality with a proclivity to embrace the peculiar. I don't know if that fits the audiophile stereotype or not. Or the stereotype vs. the reality.

Anyway,

FAD is peculiar, I think we can all agree.

However, the LAB I is a bit of an anomaly. While it is Final Audio's statement BA, and filled with the "FAD glory," it also happens to be more normal in many regards. Not as polarizing as say the Piano Forte series. It's more likable, while at the same time, preserving, or progressing the peculiar FAD antiquity.

So, here's a post that will likely help no-one, but here goes, anyway.

Been spending the last 3 days comparing my FAD LAB I and Angie and, though no doubt our dear (top) Pirates and audiophiles alike would choose the Angie’s sonics over the LAB’s, I’ve come to the conclusion that I prefer the latter.

Might me an impedance issue, after all, where the LABs simply shine with the AK240 (and V200). Basically, what it boils down to is that the LABs sound more natural, with a wonderfully more natural and meatier midrange and, to these ears, more natural treble performance and excellent natural decay down low, not to mention the great cohesive sound coming from this dual-BA crossover-less phone. The LABs, from day one, always had a very analogue-type sound (I know, I myself don’t like it when people use terms such as “analogue”, “musical” and the like…) that made them a pretty unique phone, though not one that grabbed me instantly.

So, as much as I love the Angies, the LAB I, once again, takes the number one spot as the best phone I’ve heard to date.

The Lab1 is the only FAD I've been dying to try. Last time I talked to them I said they should try making a dual ba xoverless and they said they had one in Japan. I was a sad panda.