INTRODUCTION

   The lack of cables may be the primary reason as to why TWS (true wireless stereo) headsets/earsets are very convenient (and have thus taken over the market) but for demanding consumers and audiophiles nothing beats a wired model. This is why there's a huge number of audio equipment manufacturers out there which still support wired models and with some of the best ones to date released just the last 2 years alone i don't expect thing to stop anytime soon. FiiO in particular has outdone themselves by releasing numerous models some of which have already gathered a plethora of positive reviews by consumers and of course awards from media all over the world. The FD3 model is arguably the most popular IEM models released by them recently and my review of it is finally here.

   FiiO was established in 2007 and has experience in researching and developing countless portable music products of different types, and sell FiiO-branded products through sales agents worldwide. The brand name FiiO is composed of Fi(fidelity from HiFi) and iO(number 1&0), representing the real feeling and convenient life that digital brings to life. Meanwhile, the Chinese “飞傲” is the transliteration of FiiO, indicating the positive and innovative spirit as thriving as spring. FiiO is focused on product quality, adheres strictly to ISO9001 standards in quality management and works hard to attain the lowest repair-related product returns rate.

   For their latest FD3 (and FD3 Pro) model FiiO has used single 12mm DLC (diamond like carbon) Diaphragm Dynamic Drivers that sport Hi-Res audio frequency of 10Hz-40KHz with 111dB sensitivity and 32Ohm impedance (100mW max input power). In order to deliver optimal audio performance FiiO also used a semi-open design for both housings and the same acoustic prism and interchangeable sound tubes as the higher-end FD5 model. As for the housings themselves well they are made out of aluminum magnesium alloy (combination of five-axis CNC processing and hand polishing) and feature a celluloid fascia covered with 2.5D glass coating. Needless to say, even though the FD3 is a mid-end model still FiiO has equipped it with MMCX connectors for easy cable swapping and a high-quality 1.2 meter long cable made out of 4 strands of monocrystalline copper wires (120 in total). So, time to get close and personal with the FD3 IEM and see if it really delivers where it counts.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

FiiO ships the FD3 inside a black box that has the logo, a product drawing and the Hi-Res logo at the front.

Drawings of the prism and driver are placed on the left side of the box.

On the right side FiiO has placed their typical authenticity barcode right next to drawings of the eartips and the cord with its stereo jack.

Contact information for FiiO is placed at the rear right next to a product description and 2 barcodes.

The front of the box opens up like a book to reveal the user manual and the product with the rest of the bundle right beneath it.

Aside the FD3 inside the package you'll also find a plastic carrying/storage case, cleaning brush, MMCX tool, 1 pair of interchangeable sound tubes, 10 eartip pairs (11 with the already mounted one) and the user manual (which i clearly forgot to put in the picture).

THE FD3

FiiO is known to bundle several eartips with their IEMs but still 11 pairs in total (3 for bass, 3 for vocals, 3 balanced and 2 memory foam ones) is something I’ve only seen a few times before.

I really like the copper/gold color theme of the FD3 but it clearly might not be for everyone (worth pointing out is that each earpiece weighs just 7g - not including the cord).

The celluloid fascia especially which is also covered with 2.5D glass coating looks very nice.

Left and right markings are not only on the MMCX plugs (red for right and blue for left) they are also printed on the interior of each housing/body.

FiiO hasn't just placed an 12mm DLC diaphragm dynamic driver inside each housing, they also allow you to replace the acoustic tube (tip) to tune audio to your liking (red for bass, black for tremble - red is mounted by default).

By using a semi-open design for the housings FiiO is further optimizing audio to deliver a more natural response.

The 1.2 meter long 4-strand monocrystalline copper wires cord (120 wires total) features MMCX plugs on one end and a 3.5mm L-shaped gold-plated stereo jack on the other.

CONCLUSION

   As with most in-ear monitor models i tested the FD3 both with my FiiO M15 music player and several of my smartphones for a period of just over 3 weeks (primarily right before going to bed at night which is why it took longer than usual). Initially i have to admit that i hadn't paid much attention to the bundled acoustic tubes so even though the FD3 produced accurate audio with plenty of bass it did lack the fidelity i was expecting in regards to highs. Well, in the end i took that for granted so for a whole week i tested it using the default acoustic tube which emphasizes bass (since i do listen to lots of songs that require bass - heavy metal included - this wasn't a bad thing). Second week i used the acoustic tubes which emphasize tremble and yes, this made a significant difference in regards to audio tracks rich in highs (detail). At the same time however the lack of bass is also evident so you may end up changing acoustic tubes quite often to match the audio content you're listening to (again, this is a good thing since you can get optimal results regardless of the type of audio track you're listening to). Build quality is just as impressive as audio quality with both the earpieces and the cable itself getting high scores. Personally, i also like the design of the FD3 but even though it’s a relatively small IEM model it’s still larger than many others in the market today and that may not sit well with some consumers. Finally bundling 11 sets of earpieces is something many of you will like, if not because they can be used to further finetune audio output then because comfort levels vary quite a bit (and thus you will find one that fits you more).

   So just how much do you need to spend to get your very own FD3 IEMs by FiiO? Well, FiiO has always done a very good job in terms of pricing and so currently you can find the FD3 for just USD99.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 120.74Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). Yes, swapping acoustic tubes depending on what you want to listen may not be the most convenient thing but the end result more than makes up for that. On top of that combine the very good build quality and the impressive bundle and it’s clear why the FiiO FD3 deserve the Golden Award.

PROS

- Very Good Build Quality
- Crisp & Accurate Mids / Highs (Black Acoustic Tube)
- Deep Bass Levels (Red Acoustic Tube)
- Diamond Like Carbon Diaphragms
- Detachable 4 Strand Monocrystalline Copper Cable (MMCX)
- Plastic Carrying / Storage Case
- 11 Sets of Eartips
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Cable Thickness (Not Tangle Proof)