Today, we review the FiiO FP3, the company’s new planar driver In-Ear Monitor. It costs $89 USD.
Disclaimer: The company sent me the FiiO FP3 for this review. It does not need to be returned.
FiiO
If you haven’t heard of FiiO (somehow), check out their store here. At this point, FiiO hardly needs an introduction—they have established themselves as a major player in the portable and desktop audio market, with a diverse range of products. I admire their dedication to innovation and competitiveness across all their product lines. Their track record truly speaks for itself.
We recently posted a review of the latest TT13 vinyl turntable, which you can check out below. Also, remember that we’ll review their new S15 Streamer very soon.
In addition, we’ve reviewed dozens of FiiO gear over the years, which you can check out here.
FP3
The FiiO FP3 is FiiO’s new planar in-ear monitor. It comprises a large 14.5mm driver with an ultra-thin diaphragm and patented titanium-aluminium coating. Its robust magnetic system and “Tesla Valve” bass enhancement ensures precise, dynamic sound. With elegant wooden faceplates, a lightweight, ergonomic design, and a high-purity silver-plated copper cable with interchangeable plugs, the Hi-Res Audio-certified FP3 offers both style and top-tier audio performance.
FiiO says the Hi-Res Audio-certified FP3 offers style and top-tier audio performance. It features elegant wooden faceplates, a lightweight, ergonomic design, and a high-purity silver-plated copper cable with interchangeable plugs.
Package, Design and Build
FiiO’s entry-level product packaging is pretty good. It includes six pairs of ear tips: three treble-enhancing and three more for a balanced presentation. You also get a clear plastic HB11 storage case, which works like a drawer box.
On the design side, I liked what I saw from the FP3. The earpieces look premium, with wood faceplates and shiny golden rings around them. The inside of the shells is glossy black, which finishes the design nicely. FiiO can slightly enhance the look and sell this as a premium product. It’s that good of a design for the price. The same goes for the overall build quality and the cable. It’s pretty satisfying for 89$ to me.
Fit
The FiiO FP3 has an ergonomic design that suits most ear shapes. While it maintains the round shape of some previous dynamic driver models, this design offers a complete fit, enhancing comfort for a universal IEM. The isolation is not the best, given the rounded design, but it’s still good. Overall, it was a very comfortable fit experience.
The supplied ear tips work very well. I opted for the smaller tips FiiO supplies in the package, even though I usually prefer foam tips with these shapes. The silicone tips provide sound isolation, but you can choose foam tips if you need even more isolation. SpinFit tips are also an option if you prefer them.
Sound Quality
In General
The FP3 is an IEM that delivers a dynamic, bright, V-shaped sound with satisfying clarity and brightness in the treble range. Its bright V-shaped response and dynamic and fast tuning provide an attacking presentation. However, some people might not like this aggressiveness, as it can be fatiguing over extended listening.
The FP3’s fundamental problem is its mid-range. It fails to deliver good transparency and space, resulting in a muffled mid-range performance that suffers from tonality and timbre. Despite this tuning, the FP3 also excels in soundstage width, which might sound odd, but it somehow establishes an expansive soundscape. However, it’s more veiled than I expected and misses some clarity and resolution in the mid-range.
The FP3’s bass performance is good. Although the planar IEM drivers may still be darker and congested in the mid-range, the bass department is pretty good regarding decay, pace, and quickness. The FP3 also has good bass resolution.
Page 2: Sound Details, Technical Performance, Comparisons, Conclusion
