FiiO FH3 HiFi Earphones 3 Drivers (1 Dynamic + 2 Knowles BA), In-Ear Earphones High Resolution, Bass Sound, High Fidelity for Smartphone/PC/Tablet

Product Information

It is balanced and natural sounding, one of the most musically tuned high frequencies in the FiiO stable, with good body weight, fine texture and even decaying but the attentive listener will not fail to notice the slightest hint of the so-called balanced armature timbre. The new shell looks equally good, outshining the FH5 and FH3, even if some might find the FiiO FD5 a bit too glossy. It’s a robust design that didn’t neglect style and, once again, those IEMs look as good as they sound.” The FD7 holds on it's own with a more reference and balanced tuning and that is not only in the bass range. The FiiO team has done an excellent job regarding the integration of the FH9 multiple drivers and the final result is pretty homogeneous sound. The FiiO FH3 has a musical, smooth and emotional midrange presentation with average transparency. The midrange is slightly less highlighted compared to the bass and shows a warmish tonality.

The product is returned in original condition (with brand’s/manufacturer's box, MRP tag intact, user The FiiO FH3 has nice ergonomic monitor shape which offers a comfortable listening experience, even after long periods that didn’t have hurt my ears with an average ear concha.Overall, the Fh9 is slightly warm of neutral in tonality but never seeming too warm. Perhaps this is due to the slightly cooler upper parts of the mix. These are very spacious in stage with crisp highs, forward and emotional mids and deep lows. Every area of the frequency seems just as big as the next. These are aggressive but smooth enough. A flagship level Iem, fantastically tuned in my opinion. Both IEM’s are successful in terms of soundstage performance. The main difference is that the FiiO FH3 has the slightly edge in terms of soundstage wideness, while the both are pretty similar when it comes to the depth. The FH9 is equally as impressive when it comes to its design. If there is a single part of this IEM that makes it stand out, it’s the design. It appears as though the Fiio team took inspiration from the automotive world because the faceplate of the FH9 looks like something straight off of a sports car. From the smooth curvature to the sleek shape, it's very complete. The only pet peeve I have is the visible seam. I’m sure it was unavoidable, but if there was a way to make the seam less visible and apparent, the design would be perfect. The treble on the Spring 2 has a lot more presence compared to the FH3 which didn’t surprise me given the use of the piezoelectric drivers in its configuration. It does create a perception of better resolution. However, the FH3 sounds a little bit more coherent and wetter in its treble tuning when compared to the Spring 2 so it is the mroe forgiving sounding of the two.

The first impression is that of a huge sounding earphone with top notch clarity across the range and a bass dominant sound signature that thankfully doesn't end up masking the rest of the frequencies. FH9 possesses exceptional mid-range and bass qualities. The treble leans towards the safer side, with no risky tuning present. For those who are looking for an IEM for extreme analytical listening, look elsewhere because that’s not what Fiio was aiming for. I would say the same for those who are looking for an IEM for critical listening. The latter group is usually the one that is really looking to be immersed in the music, and for this they seek a holographic soundstage, separation that allows them to dissect each and every element, and pin-point imaging. Anyhow, while it falls short in some areas, it makes up for it in others. The shells have gone through a 5-axis CNC milling process to give it an ergonomic shape, then finally finished with a zircon sand 260 sandblasting for a smooth finish. The FH3 comes also with some nice additions such like a card case, a small carry pouch with zipper that is made of fabric material and a cleaning tool/brush.The Oriveti OH500 has noticeably warmer tonality compared to the FiiO FH9, and shows a more V shaped sound signature with emphasized lows and highs. The pair houses a 13.6mm 2nd generation DLC diaphragm dynamic driver, one of the largest to be found in an earphone, paired to six premium balanced armature drivers designed by Knowles. Shanling ME700: two sides of the same coin if you were to ask. I found the ME700 better for the highs, and the FA9 better for the mids. Both are excellent, punching way above their price-tag, but ultimately, you’ll have to make a choice, when I don’t (yes I kept both) The output nozzles seem to have the right amount of depth and hold on well to the selected tips you install plus they also anchor inside the ear well.

The FH9 features a semi-open acoustic design incorporating FiiO's patented system of balanced pressure relief between the front and rear cavities. The output nozzle ends have knurling which not only helps to hold on to the tips but also aids in their removal since FiiO includes three swappable sets that give the FH7s three different general sonic characteristics. Tips The treble has an airy quality but not overly sharp or aggressive. I like how the FH3 is able to present details while not shoving it into my ears in a strident manner. Whatever song is thrown at them, even ones that are heavy on percussion, the FH3 is able to deliver a fairly balanced tone shy of splashiness and grating sibilance. Soundstage & Imaging The FiiO FH3 is the new member of the FH series In-Ear Monitor that do offer a Hybrid Driver Configuration same like the bigger brother FH5 and FH7. The FH3 features a triple driver configuration with 2 Balanced Armature Drivers (1 x Knowles RAD-33518 + 1 x Knowles ED-30262) and 1 Dynamic Driver with a 10mm Beryllium coated diaphragm. One of the unique design aspects of these tips is the rounded edge design at the output end of the tips. It seems rounded edges are easier going on sound refractions and it sort of reminds me of stealth magnet tech in which refractions were minimized by rounding off the magnet edges. Interesting indeed.

Tech Highlights

Personally, I don’t prefer foam tips, and in this case, I didn’t like them either with the FH3. While they give me a more detailed sound, they tend to close the sound stage in quite a bit. Shuoer S12 is a very energetic IEM with fun V-shaped tuning, that has a lot of balance issues. It is an exceptionally engaging and detailed pair of earphones if you're mostly going to listen to electronic instruments, however it is really garbage in acoustic music, so consider your needs carefully, versatility isn't a strong side of the S12. The soundstage of the FiiO FH3 shows a bit more depth compared to the Shozy Neo CP, which has a slightly advantage in terms of soundstage wideness. The Shozy Neo CP has a more upfront positioned midrange presentation that makes it slightly more detailed and transparent in this area, while the FiiO FH3 sounds fuller and a bit warmer. The lower midrange of the FH3 shows more depth and fullness which makes it more successful with male vocals, while the Neo CP has a more pronounced and clear upper midrange tuning which is an advantage for the female vocal presentation.