Jade Audio EA3

After using this product for several weeks, we have decided to write a review about our experience.

If you know about Fiio, you should also know that Jade Audio is a sub-brand of Fiio. It looks like the sub-brand is specifically focused on budget line-up and they did a very good job in that.

Who are we?

You must have noticed that above I wrote “we”. But who are “we”? I am Artem and I love rock, pop-punk, and old school hip-hop. My favorite band is Кино. My friend’s name is Bogdan, he is a big fan of Queen and Sex Pistols. I am 16, and Bogdan is 15 years old… We are young, very young. But we both love music and want to share a little bit of that passion here. Neither of us are fluent in English, so we hope you can forgive any grammar mistakes.

We are amateurs and are not trying to be professionals. We just want to share our love for music and how headphones make that experience better or worse.

Unboxing

The box that holds the earphones is a white box that is mostly blank. On the back of the box you can see Fiio logo.

First we thought that there was not a lot, but when open the carrying pouch we found that this package has more things that we first thought. The earphones are black and look good in the foam. The pouch is also nice because when not using the earphones we can just put them in pouch and the earphones will not scratch or damage.

Both of us think the unboxing is nice and that Jade Audio put their energy to make the experience nice.

Quality and design

We are used to earphones that come with phones. As most of you know, they are usually nothing special. They last a couple of months and then they break. Jade Audio EA3 is very different. It not only has a removable cable, which is completely new to us, but it is also of better quality.

I am impressed that a earphone this cheap can be so well built. We are also not used for an earphone to go over the ears, but we will talk about that in the next segment.

Comfort and new over-ear design experience

As we mentioned previously, we have never used over ear earphones. This is the first time that we have tried something of this kind and we are not disappointed. I specifically liked the over ear design because if I am talking to someone, I can just take out the earphone out of my ear and it will hang over my ear, and once I stop talking to someone I can continue listening to my music.

Speaking of music, we want to talk about how it is listening to this earphone. I really like this headphone because it really allowed me to enjoy music much more. I know this because when I go back to my phone earphones, music just sounds boring and lifeless.

The 13mm driver makes music sound alive. This is meant in just about every way possible. The soundstage is tremendously larger, the bass is fuller and deeper, the vocals sound more complete, and the treble is clearer. All these things together make it a very good earphone.

Bass

This is the most noticeable upgrade from small phone earphones, it is what makes it sound big. We finally know what sub-bass means.

I really felt blown away going back and listening my favorite songs. Tupac’s California Love felt like refreshing a memory that got lost in time. It’s like discovering your favorite food for the second time. The bass feels clean and powerful without bleeding into mids.

On the other hand, Bogdan really enjoying some modern hits like slowthai’s Doorman.

Midrange

Midrange sounds very nice and wide. Everything from vocals to instruments sounds better, much better. I personally really liked and enjoyed listening to Кино - Видели ночь. It really made happy because I can relate to it, it’s a happy song about being a teenager.

Bogdan also agrees with me that the midrange sounds much better than on the normal phone earphones. He really liked listening to the guitar in Dead Kennedys Uber Alles

High frequency

Moving on, the treble reason is pronounced and pleasant in its detail ability. Because it is pronounced, aggressive music sounds perfect to me, but it’s also nice to hear the snare & percussion in hip-hop.

We noticed many people think there is too much treble and it’s too harsh, but neither me or Bogdan found this to be true for our ears. This IEMs are definitely designed for treble lovers like us and people who like aggressive sound.



Final thoughts

It is really amazing how different and better a $40 IEM sounds. It is a very big improvement from earphones that come with your smartphone. If you are just starting out in this hobby and want to get something that will improve your listening experience by a lot then Jade Audio EA3 might be a good option

Love Your Pocket – Jade Audio EA3 IEMs Review


Jade EA3 is made by a sub-base company of FiiO named Jade Audio, and they are priced at 40 USD. They will get compared with FiiO F9 PRO, Shozy Hibiki, and with REVONEXT QT3. Given their price point, they will mostly be paired with less expensive sources, or ultraportable DAPs like M6 from FiiO, so the pairing part will be combined in the build quality section of the review.









Introduction



If you haven’t heard by FiiO yet, I really invite you to read some of my reviews about their products, because they’re one of those really awesome companies who does everything they can for their customers and helped shape the current audio world that we know. They are a large-ish company now and it is recommended to get their products from their official channels rather than directly from FiiO, unless you live in China, as your local sellers can serve you a bit better than FiiO can directly from China (since shipping a package will include taxes, shipping costs and all).



That being said, it should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with FiiO, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I’d like to thank FiiO for providing the sample for this review, with me being responsible for paying the custom taxes. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in Jade Audio EA3 IEMs find their next music companion.







About me



https://audiophile-heaven.com/p/about.html







Packaging



First things first, let’s get the packaging out of the way:












EA3 does not come with much, just the IEMs and extra tips. FiiO usually has better packages, and it feels like the Jade sub company will save you some bucks on the package but still offer the same quality we’re used to seeing from FiiO.







What to look for when purchasing a high-end In-Ear Monitor



https://audiophile-heaven.com/p/what-to-lookl.html







Youtube Video











Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort



The build quality is great, pretty plastic but pretty comfy. The body is large enough to fill most ears, but still not big enough to be uncomfortable for those with smaller ears. The cable is detachable, and of an excellent quality for the price point, which is 40 USD. The large dynamic driver is visible from the outside.






Happily, there is no driver flex with the EA3, FiiO managed to cut it out, with a vent, and there is no cable microphonic either. The default tips are not great in quality, and if possible, I would recommend upgrading to better tips, but they are nowhere near as bad as the default tips that most entry-level chifi iems come with, so it should be good to go, especially for the new audiophile who isn’t looking for Final Tips or Spinfit Tips in particular.



The term Chifi basically comes from the idea of Head-Fi and other headphone / earphone -related ideas ending in -fi, and Chi-Fi comes from Chinese-Fi, which applies to most Entry-Level earphones coming from China.



The drive factor is good, EA3 is medium to drive, not particularly sensitive to hiss, so it will work with any portable or ultraportable DAP, like FiiO M5, Shanling M2x, Hiby R3PRO, and even with DAC/AMPs like Lotoo Paw S1, Earstudio HUD100 or FiiO Q5s.



All in all, EA3 feels like a nicely built IEM, and although it is fully made of plastic, the design is original, and better than the alternatives from KZ which are always ripoffs after bigger, better products.







Sound Quality



Speaking of an IEM with a warm, and beginner-friendly signature, you can absolutely go for EA3 if you’re a fan of warmer signatures with a large bass, holographic and wide presentation, and if you like having a lot of impact. They are not very relaxing, since the midrange is quite uplifting and the treble is too, EA3 is a touch forward in general, and if you want something to relax to, FiiO has the darker-sounding F5. Most of their other IEMs, like the F9PRO, FH7, and FA9 are quite energetic. FH5 is borderline between being relaxing and being quite uplifting and energetic.






The bass of the EA3 is the central element of their sound, with a nice amount of body and impact. IT is a natural to slow timed bass, but it reaches very low, down to the 25 Hz range, which is excellent. The bass warms up the midrange, and it bleeds a bit in the mids, creating a feeling of warmth for the entire sound. There’s a good amount of detail and clarity with the EA3, as they are able to outline two or three basslines in complex tracks, but they are not quick enough for death metal and aggressive music.



The midrange is also pretty natural in speed, so they never come through as analytical, rather being pretty natural, pretty sweet and pretty musical. Indeed, where FiiO as a brand is known for fairly analytical and clear / somewhat bright and cold IEMs, it looks like the Jade sub-brand is going for warmer signatures. The soundstage is pretty wide, and not very deep, and EA3 has a pretty holographic presentation.



The treble is somewhat uplifted overall, enough so that the signature never feels dark, but not enough for me to call it traditionally V-Shaped. The treble has a fairly natural presentation, not a lot of grain, and if I was to complain about anything, I would have wanted a bit more sparkle. All in all, the signature is very versatile, works for classical as well as it works for rock and meal, but also for EDM and Pop.







Comparisons



The main competitor list for the Jade EA3 includes a ton of IEMs, since the Chifi producer market releases a new Chifi IEM every week, and not every one of them dies in a few months. I tried to pick a few important competitors, so I will be comparing the EA3 with FiiO F9PRO, Shozy Hibiki and Revonext QT3.






Pairing the Ea3 with smartphones like the Huawei P20, or Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s is a great ideea too, although most of the competitors generally ask for better sources, so if you’re wondering about pairing, Ea3 is simply not picky, which is why I skipped the pairing part of the review.



Jade EA3 vs FiiO F9PRO ( USD vs USD) – FiiO F9 PRO is quite a bit more expensive, but this doesn’t stop the EA3 from having some advantages over FiiO’s previous ace. Starting with the warmer sound, the sound also has a wider soundstage, and Ea3 is easier to drive and pair with DAPs and even smartphones, so it is much simpler to recommend, especially if you’re a beginner in Audio and want to see how a high-quality IEM sounds like.



Jade EA3 vs Shozy Hibiki MK II ( USD vs USD) – Hibiki is pretty cool by itself, but it lacks the package, and the detachable cable to be as cool as the Jade Ea 3. The sound also has better bass, and better low reach on the Ea3, and better treble extension, air and sparkle on the Ea3. Hibiki is more forward and even warmer than EA3, to the point where the sound is a bit fuzzy. All in all, Ea3 is more recommended in general than the Hibiki MKII in ever aspect, except for the plastic that touches your ear, which had a more comfortable finish there.



Jade EA3 vs Revonext QT3 ( USD vs USD) – QT3 is an unique case, because it has a lower end package, but it has a more detailed sound. It is more V-Shaped, and has a brighter treble, which may sound appealing at first, but that treble is quite shrill and metallic, in comparison to the more natural and less fatiguing treble of the EA3. All in all, if you want a super V-Shaped sounding IEM, you can go for QT3, but if you want something that’s warm, impactful and more comfy to listen to long-term, then EA3 is a better option.







Value and Conclusion



The value of the Jade EA3 is better than that of most Chifi IEMs, because the sound is really good, and they have a good build quality, along with an excellent comfort.






This being said, it is no news for FiiO to get the ergonomics right, and so far they had excellent ergonomics and build for every one of their IEMs, from the days of F9 all the way to FH7 and FA9 which have been released recently. No driver flex, paired with a nice cable makes it really easy to recommend the Jade EA3 more than the other options out there in the sub 50 USD price range.



The sound is warm, pleasant, it provides the listener with an impactful and uplifting presentation, but it doesn’t miss out on the treble, like Xelento did, and the sound also has a pretty wide and holographic presentation, making it easy to listen to the Jade EA3 regardless whether you enjoy rock, pop or electronic music.



At the end of this review, if you want a great IEM for 40 USD, if you’re looking for fairly good comfort, and if you don’t mind the plastic, if you want a good cable, along with a nice dynamic, punchy sound with a warm tint, the Jade EA3 is an awesome option and the IEM I can easily recommend you, even now, a few months after I posted the original Youtube Video Review.







Full Playlist used for this review

While we listened to considerably more songs than those named in this playlist, those are excellent for identifying certain aspects of the sound, like PRaT, Texturization, Detail, Resolution, Dynamics, Impact, and overall tonality. We recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new most, most of them being rather catchy.


Youtube Playlist



Tidal Playlist

https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/64555551-ec3c-4279-ae44-248fdfcf6c4b







I hope my review is helpful to you!

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INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:
The Jade Audio EA3 is an in-ear monitor (IEM) utilizing a 13.6 mm dynamic driver and a Knowles 33518 balanced armature. It currently retails for $40. Jade Audio provided me with the EA3 in exchange for a fair and objective review.
This review is also available on my blog: https://medium.com/bedrock-reviews/jade-audio-ea3-review-a013da71be3d

SOURCES:
I have evaluated the Jade Audio EA3 with my JDS Labs The Element using local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to.

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:
The review package I received is likely not representative of the Jade Audio EA3’s retail packaging, as a sticker on the box slim white box reads “The product will probably be upgraded; pictures are for your reference only.” Inside the box are the IEMs, a detachable .78 mm 2-pin cable, a zippered cloth carry purse, and 12 pairs of silicone eartips in two different colors (S, M, L). The tips with red cores are slightly more conical in shape than the tips with black cores, which are more rounded in shape.

BUILD QUALITY / DESIGN:
The Jade Audio EA3 has a high-quality resin housing with a mesh-covered metal nozzle. The nozzle has a substantial lip to secure the eartips. The faceplate has a dark smoky pattern set under the surface upon which the Jade Audio logo is set in metallic script. “L/R” indicators are printed in white adjacent to the 2-pin ports. The 2-pin connectors use a standard flush-fitting design but the IEM-side ports are raised slightly from the housing body. This creates an unsightly gap between the housing and the 2-pin connectors. There is a single circular vent on the inner face of the earpieces.

The 2-pin cable included with the EA3 has strain-relief above the straight 3.5mm jack housing and below the Y-split. The 3.5 mm jack and Y-split hardware are metal. The cable uses preformed clear plastic earguides and has a chin-adjustment slider. The oversized 2-pin connectors have raised markings to indicate left and right. My biggest issue with the cable is that the section below the Y-split is coiled rather than braided, which reduces its visual appeal to me.

COMFORT / FIT / ISOLATION:
The Jade Audio EA3 is intended to be worn cable-up. It has a shallow to moderate insertion depth. I did not find them to be comfortable even for short periods of wear. The nozzle angle is odd and the ergonomics of the inner housing body are poor. It was difficult to get a good seal with the included eartips. Secureness of fit is average. I experienced mild driver flex on one side.

MEASUREMENTS:

My measurements were conducted with a Dayton iMM-6 microphone using a vinyl tubing coupler and a calibrated USB sound interface. The headphones are driven using my Element, which has an output impedance of no more than 1 ohm. The measurements use a compensation file derived from relating my raw measurements to published measurements from Crinacle and Antdroid. The measurements are presented with 1/24th smoothing. The magnitude of the valley around 7k is a coupler artifact. There is a resonant peak around 8k. Measurements above 10k are not reliable.

SOUND:
The Jade Audio EA3 has a V-shaped tuning that is on the bright side.

The EA3 emphasizes sub-bass over mid-bass. Sub-bass extension is very good but not best in class. Slam is moderate. When listening to bass-oriented music I found myself wishing for slightly more impact and weight to percussion. Bass articulation and speed are surprisingly good but bass texture is lacking.

The midrange has a thin, bright tonality. The limited mid-bass recedes sharply across the transition into the lower midrange, which avoids congestion and muddiness but also warmth to a large extent. Intelligibility is very good for both male and female vocals, though female vocals are slightly forward of male vocals. Instruments in the lower midrange are well-separated from male vocals. There is a bit too much presence and timbre is dry and plasticky. Female vocals sound parched.

The treble, while not quite harsh to my ears, is overemphasized and uneven. Cymbal hits are splashy and diffuse. Detail retrieval is excellent but there is a fatiguing amount of sparkle. Soundstage is quite wide and instrument separation is good. Imaging is lackluster in comparison.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
The Jade Audio EA3 is easy to drive.

CLOSING WORDS:
The Jade Audio EA3 is not competitive with the majority of IEMs at or below its price point I have had the opportunity to review in the last year.