Design & Build Quality
Shell
I didn’t think that I’d say that, but aesthetically, the new FiiO FF3 is a clear success, from every angle.
Sure, the earbud’s design might look quite antic, even compared to the JH3 and JD3 I recently reviewed – much cheaper models from the Jade series – but in real life, the FF3 ticks all the premium boxes.
Like the FA7s, the main body isn’t made of aluminum or magnesium, but of 316L stainless steel Instead – the same material used with luxury watches – is carefully carved through the same 5-axis CNC-milling process, then neatly polished. Too bad that you’ll have to put ugly foam covers on those beautiful earbuds, because if not I would even dare to say that I find the FF3 beautiful, at least from a personal perspective.
Build quality
Unsurprisingly, the FiiO FF3 build quality is top-notch, like all FiiO’s recent models.
Let’s begin with the main drawback: the cable isn’t detachable, or to be completely accurate, not fully detachable. Like almost every new IEM from the brand, the termination can be swapped for either a 3.5mm TRS classic output, or the two balanced ones, the 2.5mm TRRS and 4.4mm Pentaconn.
Thankfully, apart from that, the FiiO FF3 is almost flawless and wherever your hand can touch it, the main body exudes a true sensation of luxury, the complete opposite of what you’d expect of an earbud. No shards or misplaced elements, a smooth shell, and a super rigid stem give a good level of comfort, once the earphones are placed in your ears.
Of course, with a shell made of stainless steel, the FF3 is supremely robust and should easily withstand the stand of time. My only fear would be if the glossy finish scratched, but after a few weeks of use, that didn’t happen, yet.
Last but not least, let’s talk about the cable. If I’m used to heavy, high-end, braided models, this thin one is a real breath of fresh air with its thin, feather-light body. Paired with the straight stem and equally straight termination, the whole ordeal is impressively light in hand.
Let’s check how they fit in the ears.
Comfort
In the ears
At first, I was set back by the shape, but if not really comfy, the FiiO FF3 fitted quite nicely in my ears.
Of course, there’s no magic here: compared to an IEM or a CIEM, an earbud will always be less comfortable, and that’s still true with the FF3. The round flat shape pushed up and down in my ears, and I rediscovered that strange sensation of having earbuds in my ears. Even more when you have to add the small round foam, to ensure a good fit in those same ears.
The lack of a nozzle means there is no possible seal, but I know a few (mad) people that prefer this kind of open design, even if that means a complete hear-thru design. Obviously, compared to the FA7S or JH3, comfort is slightly worse, even more so if you’d compare them to get full custom.
That said, if you’re into earbuds, this is one of the best options at the moment.
Isolation
Obviously, with an open design, isolation isn’t the FiiO FF3 forte. You’ll hear every sound coming from the outside and don’t expect to use those earbuds anywhere but in the most silent environment that you can get.
Or in the street, if you really want to be aware of your surroundings, but there are better options now, like the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for example – with its transparency mode.
So, time to check the specs!
The review continues on Page Three, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.
