This is my first review on Head-Fi. I don't have a lot of experience, but I'm a guy who loves to try different audio gear. I mainly own open back headphones and IEMs, so the FF3 was my first audiophile flathead earbud. I'll give you my honest, short opinion of these earbuds. I'll only talk about the sound, and I'm using the donut foams because I believe they provide the best balance.

It's been nine months with the FF3, and they are incredible. I didn't know that earbuds could have bass this good; bass quantity is not at the level of IEMs, but more than enough for me, and the quality is very nice, deep and punchy. I don't miss the extra bass of my IEMs when I listen to the FF3. The overall sound is warm, smooth and very musical. The best part about the FF3 is the presentation; it's authoritative, open and mesmerizing, almost like an open back headphone. I have some minor complaints: the treble can be lacking in busy tracks, and at times the vocals can be too much, and the detail is just ok. But overall the FF3 is amazing, so I can overlook details and just enjoy the music.

My favorite go-to for earbuds has been for quite some time the NiceHCK EB2s. They're clean, neutral, balanced, cheap, and the build quality is beyond outstanding. I was curious about these as everyone mentions they have real bass - something I tend to appreciate a bit more. And I'll be damned, there's actual sub bass. Not a ton, but for an earbud, it's amazing.

And in every other way, they're just a straight step up from the EB2s. I was hoping that, since they're 4x as expensive, but apart from lacking a microphone (which I do miss, I liked having the mic on my EB2s, so they're staying in my backpack as well) they're noticeably better in every way. I still rate the EB2s as a perfect bud for $18, but when an upgraded is wanted, these are definitely worth it.

The bass can actually keep up with bassier tracks, but it also works with the huge soundstage of earbuds to create a sense of hugeness to bands.

Imaging is great, in rock, you can hear that each drum in the drummer's kit is very slightly differently places. Bass texture is clean and doesn't bleed into the mids either, which are very well presented, with a slightly warmer presence. Treble is also superb - provided you're using the balanced or bass foams. With the "clarity" foams and silicones, stuff with high strings and horns (too many zoos in particular) gets VERY obnoxious - kind of what they are going for, but I love my treble and in some songs, those covers are too much for even me, and I adore grado sparkle. The bass and balanced foams REALLY temper that down to just right. Overall, I think I prefer the bass foams most. I do notice a bit more subbass rumble without much loss in detail. They're great foams, too. I threw them on my EB2s and noticed an improvement in them too.

Overall, A+ out of me. I haven't heard anything better in earbuds, and I really like earbuds. I've heard that the FF5 is less bassy, with more detail and space, and they're more "different things" than competitors, so they'll be on my radar.

I know earbuds are more particular about whether or not they "fit" than IEM's, but the light, spacious, airy fit that doesn't fatigue your ear canals after hours of use is something definitely worth considering as a supplement to some good IEM's.

They remind me a lot of a MUCH more grownup/premium version of the Koss KPH40i. Same level of ethereal comfort (with yaxxi pads) with nice, impactful bass, very persent mids, and smooth, crisp treble.

I also think maybe fiio fixed the "stiff" cable. Mine was supple and relaxed out of the box.

If you don't know about earbuds, get the standard VE monks for $5 and if they fit you/fit your vibe, if you can afford the $88 (on aliexpress) or $100 (on amazon) these are a very premium option. If you can't swing the $100, the $18 NiceHCK EB2s are still super valid.

I hope the earbud world gets a revolution like the IEM world has blown up. I'd love to see some new driver combos, like a 15mm planar driver or some EST's. Also maybe some new shells that use the standard apple earpod shape, which everyone universally agrees is a better fitting style of earbud.

FiiO FF3: Lush Looks matched with Good Performance!


Summary:

Launched in June'2022, The FF3 is an earbud launched by FiiO. FF3 comes with a 14.2mm dynamic driver with dual cavities. FiiO promises this to be a great performer and carries the FiiO Signature tuning.

Disclaimer: @FiiO had sent me a review unit for my impressions & views. The opinions below are based on my experiences with the unit and my own.



Introduction:


Let's quickly dive into what the FiiO has to offer. The FF3 carries some new DRUM like bass cavity and a bass enhancing flute-type design.

The FiiO is priced at $99




Design & Build:

It is described as the following on the website:




Specifications:


The FiiO comes at $99 price tag.
The specifications are as below:

https://fiio.com/ff3
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004396885661.html?gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt



The Box & Accessories:



The Accessories:

The package includes…


NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOUND....

Items Used for this Review:

DAC/AMP & Dongles: @Questyle M15 Dongle
Portable Players / Sources : Lotoo Paw Gold Touch, A&K SP1000M, @Questyle QP2R
Streaming Source: QOBUZ




Tracks Used:
The tracks I have used can be found from the below playlist that I have used and generally use for most reviews...





FiiO FF3 Sound Impressions in Short:

The BASS:

Bass is where FiiO had put much emphasis and likewise the earbuds come with quite a punchy bass performance. There are some details coming from the sub-bass region, but the mid-bass is quite prominent and packs quite a bit of punch. In tracks like: "Fools Paradise (LP Version) – Donna Lewis" and "Chocolate Chip Trip - Tool" you can feel the mid-bass puch & slam is quite prominent while the sub-bass is underwhelming.

The MIDS:

The midrange is quite a bit recessed on the FF3. However, there is good amount of muscle and texture and the instruments sound very lively and enjoyable. Vocals seem good and both male and female vocals come with ample amount of details and feel very real. Transients are also good. In tracks like: "Anchor - Trace Bundy", "A dog named Freedom – Kinky Friedman" and "Ruby Tuesday – Franco Battiato" though the midrange is enjoyable, but you feel a bit left out and long for more.

The TREBLE:

The treble carries the typical FiiO signature which some people may like - unfortunately I don't. It has few peaks here and there and may get quite piercing in some cases specially the Cymbals. This can be realized from tracks like “Chocolate Chip Trip – Tool”.

The SOUNDSTAGE:

The Staging capabilities of the FF3 is the quite good and above average for price range. It comes with good amount of width, height, however, depth felt lacking a bit. Tracks like: “The Secret Drawer – Bela Fleck and the Flecktones” or “She Don’t know – Melody Gardot” or “Bohemian Rhapsody (live aid) – Queen” sound good & enjoyable.

Separation & Imaging:

Imaging is quite spot on and location of each instrument can be felt quite clearly on the FF3. Tracks like: “Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) - The Beautiful South “or “Hello Again - Howard Carpendale & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” just shine through. However, the separation is something you feel could be better.



Conclusion:

The FiiO FF3 is a nice new earbud release from FiiO and aimed towards bass lovers. I'm quite confident that a lot of bass lovers will love this.

Once in a while, you come across a piece of equipment that completely shifts your perspective.

My first shift was when I listened to Fiio FD5 for the first time and realised that "high-end" IEMs make a lot of sense. That's when I decided to write head-fi reviews and name my blog "In-ear Gems".

My second shift was when I sat down for my first "critical listening session" with FF3 - the latest flat-head earbuds from the venerable ChiFi manufacturer Fiio.

Forewords

• I purchase this unit on my own. I have no affiliation with or financial interest in Fiio
• I rate IEMs by A/B testing them against a few benchmark IEMs, regardless of price point. If a $1000 IEM scores the same as a $100 IEM, then either the more expensive one underperforms, or the budget one is a gem.
• I believe that great IEMs are the ones that can achieve multiple difficult things simultaneously: (1) high resolution (meaning lines of music are crisp, clear, easy to follow and full of texture), (2) 3D soundstage with a strong sense of depth, (3) bold and natural bass with a physical rumble, (4) natural timbre, (5) relaxing and comfortable tonality. IEMs achieving those criteria are rated highly in my ranking list
• I use frequency response measurements to double-check my subjective impressions.
• Ranking list and measurement database can be found on my IEM review blog.

Non-sound Aspects

FF3 stands for "Fiio Flat-head 3", which is supposed to be a lower model of Fiio's FF product line. The FF line is an update of the previous EM line, including the strange-looking flagship EM5.



FF3 is even stranger than EM5 due to the bass cavity structures at the back that look like a drum. These drum structures sit behind the 14.2mm drivers, each of which features a Beryllium-plated dome and PU gasket. The earpieces are made of a shiny and heavy metallic material that looks and feels identical to the one used by Fiio FD5, FD7, and FA7s. Similarly to the recently released FA7s, you can choose between two colour schemes when buying FF3.



The cable of FF3 is not replaceable. Luckily, the cable is terminated with the interchangeable-plug system you can find on most modern Fiio IEMs. You are given a 3.5mm and a 4.4mm plug out of the box. Unfortunate for folks using BTR5 (me), the 2.5mm plug is not included. The cable itself is not microphonic and does not kink easily. However, it is very stiff.



Accessories accompanying FF3 are generous and practical. You have the usual Fiio Pelikan case, the interchangeable plugs, and three kinds of foams: balanced, bass, and treble (crisp). If you are unfamiliar with "audiophile" earbuds, it's helpful to think of these foams as ear tips. However, these foams influence the tuning way more than ear tips, so you should keep these foams somewhere safe for future uses.

How it sounds

Listening tests were done with the following source chains:

• iPhone (Apple Music, Hiby App, YouTube) > Apple Lightning to 3.5mm dongle > FF3 (Balance Foam)
• (For A/B test) Android Phone / iPad Pro (Apple Music, Hiby App, YouTube) > KA3 (4.4mm) > FF3 (Balance Foam)
• Android Phone / iPad Pro (Apple Music, Hiby App, YouTube) > Creative X1 > FF3 (Balance Foam)
• Hidizs AP80 Pro-X > FF3 (Balance Foam)

Local FLAC files ripped from CDs or bought from Qobuz were used for most casual listening and A/B tests.

Tonality and Timbre: 4/5 - Good

Frequency response of Fiio FF3. Measurements were done with an IEC-711-compliant coupler and might only be compared with other measurements from this same coupler. Due to the unique fit of earbuds, the FR of earbuds might not be comparable to IEMs. Visit my graph database for more comparisons.

Test tracks:
- Delibes: Lakmé - Duo des fleurs (Flower Duet), Sabine Devieilhe & Marianne Crebassa: how natural are the vocals?
- J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 - Variatio 15 Canone Alla Quinta. a 1 Clav. Andante: how natural is the piano? How is the balance between various voices in the canon? Can you hear the subtle variation in dynamic (loudness) from soft to very soft throughout the variation?
- MS Gundam Build Fighters (OST): do you hear any metallic tint in the high-pitched electronic instrument at the opening? Is there any harshness? Unusual tonality? This piece should be energetic but not harsh.



Big, bold, natural, immersive.

First, let's talk about the least impressive part of FF3's tuning: treble. It is well-controlled but not loud enough. Cymbal crashes do come across with nuances and details, and you would not hear splashiness or harshness with cymbals and hi-hats. However, the sound of cymbals and hi-hats tends to be drowned out by the kick drums and snares.

The treble air region (around 15kHz) is also nothing to write home about. It does not disappear entirely like some IEMs, but it is not loud enough to highlight micro-details, echos, and room reverbs.

The low end and midrange are the stars of the show. The bass of FF3, specifically the frequencies below 250Hz, is louder than the "neutral" baseline set by Moondrop Blessing 2, but not much more and certainly does not touch the level of bass-boosted IEMs.

Despite not being loud, FF3's bass has fantastic quality, making it very addictive. Let me explain.

Many bass-boosted IEMs fill your music with loud "boom boom" sounds. However, with few exceptions, these "boom boom" sounds tend to be mushy due to lacking texture and details. A fellow reviewer describes this type of bass as "pillowy" or "hitting a pillow".

FF3 does bass differently. When you listen to the Prelude of Bach Cello Suite 1 with FF3, you will hear the "brrrrmm" rather than the low-pitched, slightly mushy "ummmm" sound that most IEMs produce.

FF3 also produces a lot of tactility in the music. When the string section of an orchestra plays string pluckings, you will feel tactile snaps in your ears. This tactility also extends to bass guitars and drums. The only weakness in the bass performance of FF3 is the rolled-off sub-bass, which makes certain types of music less powerful (think of Billie Eilish's Bad Guy).



The midrange of FF3 is natural and realistic with a touch of warmth. I have never heard any boxiness, honkiness, or other forms of weirdness that spoil the tonality of vocals and instruments. Despite the lifted bass, thanks to the properly tuned ear-gain region, there is no vocal recess.

The most surprising thing about the midrange of FF3 to me is that it sounds pretty close to Blessing 2, with just an extra touch of warmth. For instance, when I swapped between FF3 and Blessing 2 during the Flower Duet, I did not need any adjustment period because everything sounded nearly identical, even down to the placement of vocals on the soundstage. However, FF3's soundstage is noticeably deeper and more open than Blessing 2.

Another advantage of FF3 is dynamic contrast, both micro- and macro-dynamic. By micro-dynamic, I talk about the sudden shift in loudness, such as when a beater hits a bass drum. By macro-dynamic, I talk about the change of the overall loudness level of a whole musical phrase or passage.

For instance, in variation 15 of Goldberg Variations, Lang Lang shows excellent control over macro-dynamics, going from soft to very soft before returning to bombastic in the next variation. Some IEMs compress the dynamic variation, making most phrases either loud or quiet with little gradation. Not with FF3. These earbuds have the most impressive reproduction of dynamic variations I have heard for a while, making Goldberg Variations a treat.

I am a sucker for unusual tuning that works. With the extra warmth, FF3 is undoubtedly not a target hitter. However, its tuning works brilliantly across multiple genres. Therefore, I rate FF3's tonality 4/5 - Good.

Resolution, Detail, Separation: 4/5 - Good

Test tracks:
- Sky Pubs - Now You believe in You: testing the detail of the background elements and the treble extension/air. How clear can you follow the choral section in the background before 0:50? How crisp and texture are the claps?
- Ed Sheeran: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert: visiting hours (from 14:20) is a good test for detail retrieval. How clear and distinct can you hear the chimes at the beginning? Can you hear individual chimes or just a blob of high-pitched sound? How clear can you hear the backing vocal at the far sides of the soundstage?
- Vivaldi: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, RV 315 "L'estate" - III. Presto: testing resolution in complex and dense music. How easy is it to hear individual instruments? Can you hear nuances and textures in each instrument, like bow catching on the strings? Can you hear the cello on the right? Can you feel the rumble of the lower strings of the cello?



From the first phrase of Presto, the third movement of Vivaldi's Summer violin concerto, it is evident that Fiio FF3 outclasses Moondrop Aria - the standard of decent resolution. Everything is just crisper, more separated, and more textured on FF3. The cello on the right of the stage is particularly addictive due to the extra level of detail that FF3 digs out.

Even when I boost the volume of Aria to mitigate the "louder is better" problem, Aria still cannot separate all instruments cleanly nor reveal nuances like FF3. Aria just gets louder and harsher without "revealing" anything extra.

Can FF3 out-resolve Blessing 2, the gold standard of "good resolution"? Not completely. FF3 and Blessing 2 render most string instruments with a great degree of clarity and separation. I would say FF3's cello sound beats Blessing 2's cello, but that's not unexpected, given that Blessing 2's dynamic driver is infamous for its deep but pillowy bass.

The scale tips toward Blessing 2 with Ed Sheeran's Tiny Desk (Home) Concert. The BA drivers for midrange and treble of Blessing 2 reveal crisper and clearer chimes and backing vocals in the Visiting Hours (from 14:30 of the video). The bass texture and the comfortable tuning of FF3 might produce a more cosy listening experience. Still, for the midrange and treble resolution, I have to give it to Blessing 2 this round.

The comparison of FF3 and Andromeda 2020, my standard of "TOTL resolution", highly resembles the FF3 vs Blessing 2 round. FF3 beats Andromeda in bass resolution but cannot match the midrange and treble resolution of the green goblin.

Based on the comparisons, I give FF3's resolution 4/5 - Good. It has an excellent bass resolution, above-average midrange and meh treble. The large and deep soundstage can somewhat compensate for the weaker midrange and treble resolution.

Percussion Rendering: 4.5/5 - Very Good

Percussion rendering reflects how well the tuning and technical performance of an IEM work together to recreate realistic sound of a drum set. Good drum hits have a crisp attack (controlled by frequencies from 4kHz to 6kHz), full body (midbass frequencies around 200Hz), and physical sensation (sub-bass frequencies around 50Hz). Good technical performance ("fast" driver) ensures that bass notes can be loud yet detailed. IEMs that cannot control bass very well tend to reduce the bass' loudness to prevent muddiness.

Test tracks:
- Finale (William Tell Overture): How rhythmic does the whole orchestra sound? Can you follow the drums clearly? How about the rhythm carried by the string and brass section? Can you hear texture and detail in the drum or just mushy thump thump sounds?
- Proof of a Hero - Rise Version: This track tests only one thing: can the battle drums hype you up to pick up your longsword and chase some wyverns?



Reviewing the percussion rendering of FF3 is easy. 4.5/5 - Very Good. Drums sound crisp, intense, and textured. This kind of percussion rendering makes you want to move and gets you addicted to listening to drum covers.

The only weakness is the rendering of deep bass. If your music relies solely on deep sub-bass rumbles, then you need IEMs rather than a pair of earbuds.

Stereo Imaging (Soundstage): 4.5/5 - Very Good

Stereo imaging or "soundstage" is a psychoacoustic illusion that different recording elements appear at various locations inside and around your head. Your brain creates based on the cues such as the loudness and phase differences between the left and right channels. Most IEMs do not differ significantly, nor can they compete with headphones or loudspeakers. However, some IEMs offer a more spacious soundstage than others. Best IEMs can create multiple layers of sound from closer to further away and make some instruments float slight above your head.



Test tracks:
- We are the world(3:00 onward): This song shows some excellent stereo imaging. Can you hear the soloist upfront whilst the choir is pushed further away to the background? Can you hear one choir to the left and further to the back whilst the other is to the right and a bit closer to you?
- Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - I. Allegro: Listen for the precise direction of each instrument in the string quartet throughout the piece. You should also be able to hear the cello located closer than the violin 1.
- I vow to thee, my country: This song is an excellent test for layering. Can you hear the boy choir standing in front of the men's choir, or are they on the same flat plane?

The flat-head form factor of FF3 gives it a considerable advantage in terms of soundstage size over IEMs. The width of the FF3 soundstage easily matches my closed-back headphone (Beyerdynamic COP+). The depth, which means how far the soundstage can extend in front of you, outperforms my closed-back and open-back headphones (HD560s).

FPS gaming with FF3 is a treat. In CSGO, not only can I pinpoint the direction of gunshots, I can even estimate their distance. It's not that I can translate these abilities into and competitive advantage, though.

The weakness in resolution stops FF3 from having a perfect score in the soundstage criterion. Because FF3 lacks the tack-sharp rendering of something like Andromeda, it sometimes fails to convey a strong illusion of layering of instruments from closer to further away. FF3 also lacks the necessary treble to create the illusion of instruments floating above your head.

Based on the analysis, I rate 4.5/5 - Very Good.

Conclusion

In the head-fi journey, you sometimes come across a piece of gear that shakes your dogma. Fiio FF3 shows me that it is possible to get excellent sound with a large soundstage and impactful and textured bass without spending a fortune on TOTL IEMs.

Would flat-head earbuds replace IEMs for me? No, because flat-head is ultimately an illogical form factor, being portable gear but does not have the necessary fit and isolation for mobile uses. However, FF3 and other earbuds are my preferred options when I don't need isolation. Due to the outstanding sound quality and price/performance ratio, Fiio FF3 receives the first-ever IEGems seal-of-approval and recommendation without reservation from this reviewer.

FiiO FF3

Disclaimer
I would like to thank FiiO for providing me with the FiiO FF3 earbuds in exchange for my honest opinion. No incentive was given for a favourable review.

FF3

• 316L stainless steel polished shell in Cosmic Silver or Elegant Black
• Bass enhancing acoustic flute design
• Ultra-fine copper-clad aluminium Daikoku voice coil
• 14.2mm beryllium-plated dome + PU gasket diaphragm
• New generation twist-lock plug, swappable 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm termination
• High-purity silver-plated monocrystal copper cable
• Price: US$99.99

Links:
https://www.fiio.com
https://www.facebook.com/FiiOAUDIO/

Preamble
About two years ago I reviewed the FiiO EM5 flagship earbuds. The story behind the EM5 was that it was always going to be one of the pet projects of FiiO’s founder James Chung. It started as early as 2017 and the aim was not to come up with a market-oriented product, but rather something like a proof-of-concept or a “let’s see what we can do for the fun of it”. Fast forward to today, I think it is safe to say the EM5 were a very successful proof-of-concept. I suspect that because of that success, FiiO took what they learned and set out to produce a new line of earbuds that are intended for a wider market. This new line is starting with the FF3 and rumour has it that FiiO also have higher end FF5 earbuds in development for release later this year. Exciting times for earbud enthusiasts!

Although I don’t have access to a wide range of earbuds, I do consider myself an earbud enthusiast. In fact, I have a pair of earbuds that have been with me for well over four years and I still use them on a daily basis, which is more than any other piece of gear I own. So, when I heard FiiO had released the FF3, I quickly reached out for a review because I was very curious how far FiiO’s earbuds had progressed.

Unboxing
The unboxing is a fairly standard affair and I tend not to dwell on it too much. That said, there are a few interesting things to note here.
When opening the box the first thing seen is the quick start guide. Usually this is not that interesting, save for the description of how to change the interchangeable plug and how to mount the foams. However, I assume the guide has been printed for the FF5 as well as the FF3 earbuds because there is also a description on how to use the MMCX assist tool. The FF3 do not have a detachable cable and therefore I think it is safe to expect the FF5 to feature a detachable cable with MMCX connectors.





Removing the quick start guide reveals the FF3 sitting all pretty and shiny in the top half of box. Below that is a black cardboard box with plastic hard case inside. It might not feel as luxurious as the leather case that came with the EM5, but I really like these hard cases. I have several Peli cases for when I want to store something as safe as possible and one of those I always use when travelling because of how tough they are. I would say that these are never a bad choice.

Inside the case are the 4.4mm balanced replacement plug and three bags with foams: Bass, Balanced and Crisp foams. There are six pairs of each included, which is a healthy amount and in my opinion this is important for earbuds because the foams wear out frequently.



Build quality and fit
Look at them… How gorgeous do the FF3 look! The polished stainless-steel shells look amazing and nothing like I would expect for earbuds at this price point. Okay, let’s not get distracted by the sparkles…



The FF3 have a wonderful and solid feeling build quality. The stainless-steel shells are a little heavier than most earbuds, yet still well balanced when wearing them. In other words: they do not pull down and simply sit comfortably in your ears. The ergonomics are also pretty good. I always have problems with earbuds and to my deepest disappointment, I could not get a secure fit with the EM5. The ergonomics on the FF3 have been noticeably improved to where they sit fairly secure in my challenging ears. It is not perfect and the right side sits more secure than the left side, which tends to fall out occasionally. Still, for me this is the best fit I have found with earbuds and I can happily wear them while I am working behind my desk without any worries.

Moving down, the cable is a great quality one. Fairly thin and very supple, it has a good balance between light weight so as not to pull on the earbuds too much, while still having the weight to avoid tangling. At the end of the cable is of course the new generation interchangeable plug. I was a big fan of the previous design, but this one is even better. FiiO have managed to create an interchangeable plug that is not any bigger than a regular one. The mechanism also feels very solid, making it effectively indistinguishable from a regular plug.



Source
Because of the interchangeable plug, I have been able to use the FF3 with a wide variety of sources. Everything from straight out of a MacBook Pro, to the Lotoo PAW S1 dongle, the EarMen Angel portable DAC/amp and high-end DAPs such as the Shanling M8 and Lotoo PAW Gold Touch (LPGT).

Initially I decided to use the LPGT for the analysis because of its neutral and incredibly transparent sound. However, as time went on I started using the M8 and Angel just as much. The M8 is a slightly warmer, more analogue sounding source and that pairing was wonderful. The Angel is more neutral and has a lot of power, which seemed to work very well for the FF3 too.



Presentation
As soon as I started listening to the FF3, I was convinced these belonged in a special category I have with only a handful of gear in it. This category is essentially my “best of…”, but then a best of for enjoyment. Gear I never tire of listening to and that always brings a smile to my face. It doesn’t require a specific signature or technical performance, rather it is about the pure joy of music. The venerable Sennheiser HD650 is one of those that I have in this category. I always seem to enjoy the music so much more when I listen with the HD650. I forget about nit-picking over details and over-analysing everything, instead I simply drift away in the music. The FF3 have that same effect on me, which actually makes reviewing them that much harder because I keep forgetting I am supposed to analyse the sound.

At the core of the FF3 is a signature that is fun, musical and versatile. It is a “safe” tuning that I think everyone will enjoy. Of course, there is the option to play around with the different foams that are supplied to tweak the sound a little for extra warmth or brightness, but personally I think the “balanced” foams are the sweet spot.

I usually don’t pay much attention to claims in the specifications such as “bass enhancing acoustic flute design”, but from the EM5 I remember that FiiO is able to get excellent bass performance from a pair of earbuds. With the FF3 the acoustic flute designs once again seems to be more than empty marketing hype because the bass is very good on these. It is a well-controlled bass that has physicality, texture and detail at a level that really surprised me. There is presence to (for instance) a bass guitar without harming the overall balance. It feels like FiiO have been very effective at using this bass as a foundation for the signature, which is what gives the FF3 that thoroughly enjoyable character. The mids that follow are clear and surprisingly airy with good separation and positional information. Give the FF3 a good source and they do seem to scale quite well in this regard. The soundstage is quite large and holographic. It is not a flat stage stretching out in front of you, instead you genuinely feel immersed in the music. The treble is polite and inoffensive, yet has enough presence and extension to avoid the FF3 sounding dark and rolled off. In my opinion the treble balances really well to create that always enjoyable tuning that make the FF3 so easy to love.

Resolution and detail are really good. I can’t compare to many other earbuds, so I have to be a little careful in my statements, but I am certainly surprised. In my experience earbuds tend to struggle in this area, depending also on how the fit works for any given person, yet the FF3 seem to render a lot of detail and texture even when they move around a little bit (i.e. with a less optimal fit). It just always sounds good.



Comparisons
-Astrotec Lyra Collection-
The Lyra Collection are a staple in my head-fi diet and the most used gear in my inventory. I use them on a daily basis, and have done so for over four years now. They are considerably more expensive than the FF3 at $299, and their intensive use means the FF3 have one heck of a mountain to climb to come out on top, but let’s see.

In terms of build quality, the Lyra Collection have a much lighter design. The shell is constructed with a very light-weight aluminium and the cable is made up of eight very thin wires (four copper, four silver-plated copper). Although they have stood up to years of intensive use, which is a testament to their build quality, I still find the cable to feel somewhat fragile. Obviously, it is not, otherwise it would have broken by now, so the Lyra Collection have a deceptively light and strong build quality. The FF3 on the other hand have more weight to them thanks to the heavier stainless-steel shells and sturdier cable. It inspires more confidence, although I have obviously not been able to subject the FF3 to a similar level of use to test if that also results in a higher durability. A big advantage of the FF3 is of course the interchangeable plug, allowing use with both single-ended and balanced sources.

A comparison of the differences in fit between these is interesting. For my ears the Lyra Collection have always been problematic. They won’t sit in place by themselves. The FF3 have a much better design in that regard, for my ears at least, and will stay in place reasonably well. This means the FF3 give me the best of that characteristic earbud experience. However, the Lyra Collection came with an ace up their sleeve, ear hooks. I use them with small “shark fin”-like ear hooks that secure them in place perfectly. It is the sort of accessory that I was missing with FiiO’s EM5, which did not stay in my ears securely at all, otherwise those would have long since replace the Lyra Collection as my daily users. The FF3 don’t really need them, which is great, but it would still have been nice to at least have the option. That said, in terms of accessories the FF3 come with a much larger supply of foams and that is an essential advantage because intensive use means the foams will wear quickly.

In terms of sound, it is not really a comparison, the FF3 easily outperform the considerably more expensive Lyra Collection. When l compared the two back-to-back the Lyra Collection come out as especially fuzzy, veiled and rolled off. The stage is much smaller and a lot of detail seems to get lost in what I used to associate with the physical limitation of the earbud form factor. The FF3 prove my misconception and it is a testament to the outstanding sound quality of the FF3 that they have rendered my sound comparison here so short.



Conclusions
At the risk of sounding like a complete shill, I think FiiO have hit a homerun with the FF3. The FF3 are so easy to love and the price feels like a sweet spot where they can be considered premium earbuds, yet remain within a price range where they are accessible for many people.

The tuning is tremendously enjoyable with a good balance and surprisingly good technical performance, especially in detail and resolution. The FF3’s bass is excellent with great physicality, texture and detail, it is complimented by clear and airy mids, and a wonderfully easy going treble that extends well.

Build quality feels premium with the added advantage of an interchangeable plug for use with both 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm single ended sources. They are easy to drive and will scale with higher end sources. Ergonomics are very dependent on individual ear shape, but it feels like FiiO have improved on previous designs to create a more secure fitting shape.

In short, the FiiO FF3 are highly recommended.

Fiio FF3

Aha the ear bud. Love em or hate em the bud will be a mainstay of the IEM experience. Who has never tried an earbud before? The first set of in-ear speakers for just about anyone in the hobby is the cheapo throw away earbuds the airlines give you. Not the best experience when it comes to sound but at least you will be able to watch your family friendly movie hovering 30K ft in the air.

The idea of stuffing a larger 14.2 mm diaphragm inside your ears in theory should bring a larger dynamic sound. The FF3 is a new earbud by our friends at Fiio. This being my very first experience with one of their earbuds. I didn’t know what to expect but a bit of a clue is how the buds are designed with dedicated air vents/ ports out back for the bass end of the FF3. Then you have to consider what the driver here is made of. Beryllium plated dynamics are nothing new to the sound scene but I do know they are very capable to bring out a complete and technical sound. All sold for a bit under a $100 spot? OK now I am intrigued.

Disclaimers: The Fiio FF3 was provided by Fiio for the purpose of a review. The FF3 has been burned in for a period of a week straight and now is ready for evaluation. If you feel you need to get the latest from Fiio you can purchase a set for you here on their aliexpress page. My sources for testing out the FF3 consists of my sources. IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, IBasso DX160, Fiio K3 2021, Fiio BTR7.


Out of the box
You get the buds with a nice cable attached to it. So Fiio went with a permanent connected cable but it happens to be their monocrystalline silver-plated copper cables in 4 cores and encased in 3 layers of PVC coating. Fiio did a bonus here in that you can change out the default 3.5mm connector with a 4.4mm balanced connector which stems from their modular cable designs for IEMs. Going balanced with the FF3 shows some excellent results with your players and I will get to why on the review later. It's a nicely matching highly resolving cable but one that is not replaceable. Not a big deal really, if you're into your cable rolling you can’t do that with the FF3. Maybe they will allow replaceable cables on their upcoming FF5.

The included cable seems sturdy, soft and pliable for everyday use and seems every bit the quality cable Fiio is known to provide with their In ears. FF3 also comes with 3 types of foam covers. Labeled bass foams, Balanced foams and crisp foam tips. Considering the FF3 by default comes with plenty of bass. I much prefer the transparent crisp foam covers for me. The design of the foam covers do have an effect on how you hear the bass end and or the treble end. But it also will be dependent on the shape of your ears, specifically the concha of the outer ear. Basically, your results will vary depending on just how good a fit you get with these buds.


Open box sound experience was interesting. I was immediately hit by some brawny bass and I suppose I should have expected that as I tried the bass foams out of the box. I can’t say the bass had quality written all over it, in fact it was the big brawny burly, bloaty type of bass. OK we are dealing with a bassy signature. By the way if you're a graph reader. I wouldn’t take too much credence in the provided graph Fiio provides. What I hear and what that graph makes it sound like are not the same. It does show it has bass presence but also shows a steep drop off from 100hz down to 20hz at about 20dbs in drop off… NOPE!.. There is no possible way there is that much drop off in the bass end. I have heard plenty of iems with rolled off bass. And I can’t say the FF3 has rolled off bass. It has more mid bass than sub bass yes but even for sub bass. Yes ladies and gents. HUSTON we have a BASS CANNON!. Again do not look at that graph thinking there is a drop off for bass. FF3 Bass just dont drop off like that from what I am hearing. Now I actually tried the FF3 outdoors to test their isolation. Now I can understand the graph. When outdoors any semblance of decent bass performance can be tossed out the door. You won’t be hearing much bass if anything it sounds neutral which in reality the FF3 is far from it. Bass is especially big and brawny out of the box. A good driver workout is highly recommended.

But then I landed on an acoustic track and lo n behold there is a semblance of balance for these? OK so this is getting even more interesting.

Buds by nature will be as open as it comes as far as sound leaking in and out. You need something with more passive isolation, then IEMs are more what you should be looking at but there are clear advantages of these bud designs as far as sound goes due to their looser fitting open sound nature in the concha of the ears. One of which happens to be stage perception. The stage of the FF3 is about as wide as I have heard anything I have put into and outside of my ears. These things are a marvel like that. IEMs with this type of stage and you're spending a few grand for the presentation in the IEM realm. But you get that with the FF3.

The sound
The large and in charge sound presentation of the FF3 is more about a musical full bodied sound. To my ears sounds more like a balanced mild V shape tuning vs being the r shaped tuning that Fiios official graph would show you. Has surprisingly excellent technicalities and of course with an authoritative deep hitting bass. Its sound to my ears mimics a room full of speakers the most. Not the tightly chiseled sound experience you get from IEMs but the FF3 at its best the sound can and does become euphoric due to how ambient, punchy, airy and surround the sound can get.

Trebles
Of the FF3, will be dependent on a few aspects. The foams you are using with them for one. A completely front face covering foam will mask a bit of the treble presence, which is the bass enhanced cover, will make the FF3 have the warmest tonal quality with the brawniest bass. The balanced one seems to be a thinner material perhaps. The treble transparent cover has no foam material at all centrally which definitely gives me the best treble aspect for the FF3. Again all this will be dependent on how tight fitting the FF3 is for your ears.

Also to my surprise the FF3 is transparent and detailed enough to let you know just how much treble detail your sources have. Going from my Fiio M15 to the Fiio BTR7. I can tell the BTR7 treble presentation is not as extended and overall not as clear as the Fiio M15. Which should be expected but this clearly shows the FF3 is using a nicely resolving driver.

Trebles for the FF3 is clean and detailed but lacks just a tinge of body for the treble notes and again I think this is how I am perceiving the treble notes due to how they fit for me so I can’t say your going to be hearing similarly as I am on my review unit set. Trebles come clean for the most part and has decent extension. It's more macro in its presentation vs being micro. Overall, for me anyways I always thought the best treble details for in ears comes from the IEMs due to their design aspects and the in ear sound projection vs being on the ear like buds. The resolving nature of the beryllium plated dynamic comes through for the FF3 and its treble detail is good here and I don’t find the treble to be too much or too little. Treble tuning was done well by Fiio. The transition to the mids is seamless as you get that perfect cohesion from using a single larger dynamic driver.

Mids
Is the bread and butter for all of the buds in my possession and this is also the case for the FF3. Mids are not exactly forward but certainly not recessed either. Much like how I perceive the treble, mids' presentation gives an outstanding well layered and broad spacious performance on the FF3. Vocals for both female and male presents with good clarity and a natural tonal character with just enough body to feel I am hearing a complete sound experience. If I press the buds against my ears I get more body and or fullness to the sound of the FF3 so this aspect will be dependent once again on how well these are fitting for you. Generally however I have no complaints about how even keeled and well imaged the mids presentation is for the FF3. I mentioned that imaging is a standout for the FF3 and also its timbral quality. It has the weighty sound presentation that mimics floor speakers a bit more so than anything I have heard in the bud form. Its lower mids I feel has a slight lift for its presence with an overall large wide deep stage. It has ample height to the sound to not make it sound neutral or too laid back. I am a huge fan of anything with beryllium in it but the tuning is always first before material and here we have a very capable full bodied and versatile sound on the FF3.

Bass
As I mentioned before it will be dependent on the foam covers and how much bass your source throws out as well. It has more mid bass with a mild roll off toward sub bass but if you look at Fiios official graph it makes it look like it has no sub bass. My bass tracks all of them make the drivers on the FF3 rumble in the jungle.

A good sub bass track to test is a classic hip hop album. NAS if I ruled the world with Lauren Hill. It has a deep sub bass line in the track that is in the background of this track. If an IEM or headphone can’t hit that note that means it has a roll off. The FF3 picked up that sub bass note like a champ. Beyond that anything that has a bit more emphasis in the mix for bass and you're gonna not only hear it but it will rumble your lobes. If I was to be a bit more critical of the bass. It's not the tightest bass presentation even for ear buds. But, they are a blast to listen to. The FF3 sounds like a 2.1 in your ears. There is no question the FF3 has bass authority. If you're into your hip hop, EDM, rock, pop. Every type of, bass genres the FF3 will be a treat to listen to. But it is versatile enough to handle jazz and even orchestral scores with that wide large sound field and a big bold bass.

Amplification.
This is how you get the most out of the FF3. Its 45 Ohm 105db sensitivity means a bit of power will really bring out what the FF3 is capable of. It is efficient enough to be used on a phone but once you actually amplify the FF3 using the balanced option it will be difficult to listen to them underpowered. Not only does the sound expand but you get greater control of bass more emotive mids presentation and a better articulate treble end to boot. It ramps up to power like a true beryllium plated dynamic should. Listening to the FF3 in balanced is highly recommended.

Overall.
Call me impressed. The FF3 was a surprise to me in so many ways. They are just a blast to listen to. Of course if your into your neutral analytical tunings this might not be the case for you. But for folks that enjoy listening to speakers might actually like these more so than an IEM. Its sound presentation is very musical and highly enjoyable if not just out right fun to listen to. Its not the tightest of presentations but heck when was the last time you heard a live music event and it was tight? It mimics the live music experience with a big bold bass, a very broad and well imaged mids and a detailed treble end. The FF3 are the real deal.

It is difficult in all of headphone land to achieve the sound presentation of the FF3 at the cost level. FF3 is clearly tuned to be a crowd pleaser and I am just another guy enjoying them for what they are and can sound like. Throw them on a good amp and you will be smiling from ear to ear I am willing to bet on it. They suck for passive isolation but so does all ear buds so you can’t fault them for that. So more or less stationary listening. In that use case. These rock all over the place for sound. Very enjoyable, versatile with a sound experience that is not too common at the price to get one. Thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

Optimal FF3. New BTR7 via 4.4mm balanced out to FF3 with transparent crisp foams.