FiiO F3
The FiiO F3 brings deep, weighty bass and an easygoing V-shaped sound to pop and electronic playlists, wrapped in a compact, comfortable design. PortaFi highlights its flexible over-ear or cable-down fit, sturdy cable, and unusually generous kit of interchangeable faceplates, ear hooks, tips, and case—making this a remarkably complete budget IEM.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
79/100
Fit Comfort Isolation
86/100
Build Accessories
91/100
Value for Money
91/100
Pros
Deep, weighty bass suits electronic music, pop, and other uncomplicated material.
Compact shells, angled nozzles, and both over-ear and cable-down options provide very good comfort.
Excellent budget package includes interchangeable faceplates, ear hooks, multiple tip sizes, a carrying case, and a sturdy cable.
Cons
Slower bass can overshadow the lower midrange, creating a distant presentation there.
Fast, dense heavy metal loses detail, and treble can show mild sibilance.
Passive isolation is average rather than a standout strength.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 79/100
The F3 is presented as a bass-led, V-shaped budget IEM that suits pop, electronic music and other uncomplicated material particularly well. Its low end is enjoyable for the price, but recessed lower mids and limited composure with dense, aggressive music keep it from being a more universally capable listen.
Bass
84/100
PortaFi describes the F3 as bass-oriented, with a substantial lower-frequency accent, satisfying depth and useful weight for electronic and pop music. Bass is said to be somewhat slow and short of the texture available from higher-tier FiiO models, but remains good at this price.
Midrange
77/100
The main tonal limitation is bass shading the lower midrange, leaving this region somewhat distant. Upper mids are described as normal, though the recession can reduce the detail and presence needed for fast, aggressive metal.
Treble
80/100
Treble is described as generally okay and the upper mids as normal rather than overtly problematic. There is some sibilance, although the reviewer considers it restrained rather than severe.
Resolution Separation
76/100
The reviewer finds the F3 appropriate for non-complex music and notes a loss of necessary detail on fast, aggressive heavy metal. It is still considered competitive with other models around $25, rather than unusually resolving.
Soundstage Imaging
81/100
The review says little about stage width, depth, image placement or positional precision. No specific spatial weakness is identified, but there is also no evidence of a standout presentation in this respect.
Dynamics Coherence
79/100
The F3 is said to work well with pop, electronic music, some jazz and classical recordings, suggesting an agreeable overall flow with less demanding material. Its slower bass and reduced clarity in rapid, dense metal limit confidence in its transient response and complexity handling.
FIT COMFORT ISOLATION PERFORMANCE 86/100
The compact housings, angled nozzles and flexible wearing options earn clear praise for everyday fit and comfort. Isolation is described as typical rather than exceptional for an IEM.
Seal Stability
88/100
The wide, angled nozzles are reported to fit comfortably, and the F3 can be worn either over-ear or cable-down. The review reports no instability or seal-related bass loss with either wearing style.
Comfort
89/100
PortaFi calls comfort very good, citing the small shells, lack of rough edges and easy fit. Both cable-up and cable-down use are described as comfortable.
Isolation
80/100
Passive isolation is described as average for an IEM. This should be adequate for ordinary listening, but the review does not portray it as a particularly isolating design.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Accessories
91/100
For $25, the package is praised as close to complete: it includes two interchangeable faceplate pairs, soft ear hooks, three silicone-tip sizes and a carbon-look carrying case. The cable is also described as sturdy, well insulated and likely to hold up well in regular use.
Value for Money
91/100
At about $25, the F3 is considered on par with competing models in its price class while offering a notably strong accessory package, attractive styling and solid construction. The reviewer does not position it for demanding audiophiles, but regards it as a very appealing option for its intended budget-market listener.
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Manufacturer's Description — FiiO
F3
F3
The IEM for a Colorful Life
The All New FiiO F3 Dynamic In-Ear Monitors
Attractive, not Gaudy
The translucent industrial-grade polycarbonate housing attracts by allowing you to peer into and appreciate the F3's internals. The lustrous, vacuum-ion electroplated shell of the F3 is also exchangeable, allowing you to spice up your life by letting you change between different shells to fit your current mood.
Graphene Driver Diaphragm
Groundbreaking new material with unprecedented thinness and flexibility.
The F3 utilizes a cutting-edge graphene driver diaphragm. Graphene, with a thickness of only 0.335nm, is a new nanomaterial that is extremely strong and has excellent conductivity. Due to its properties, a graphene driver diaphragm can very faithfully reproduce your music - giving a clean, rich, yet transparent high-fidelity sound.
Japanese Copper-clad Aluminum Voice Coil
A lighter voice coil makes for faster transients and better overall sound quality.
This exactly describes the Japanese copper-clad aluminum voice coil utilized in the F3, which allows it to present a transformative listening experience by clearly bringing forth even the subtlest of details within the music.
Over-the-Ear Design
For a more comfortable and secure fit.
The comfort and fit of an in-ear monitor is arguably just as important as its sound quality. With this in mind, FiiO chose to adopt an over-the-ear design for the F3, which ensures it will snugly stay in your ear.
Medical-Grade Silicone Ear Tips
Try different ear tips for different sounds.
The F3 includes 3 different sizes of ear tips. Not only does this allow the user to choose a size based on what is comfortable for them, but also allows them to choose the sound they want since different ear tips have different sound signatures. The ear tips are made of medical-grade silicone, which are both comfortable to wear and environmentally-friendly to boot.
Polyurethane Cable
Polyurethane - robust, yet lightweight
After extensively experimenting with and evaluating a wide variety of materials on a multitude of factors, polyurethane emerged as the material of choice for the F3's cable. Polyurethane is a low microphonic, durable material that is also lightweight, highly elastic and tough against scrapes.
Convenient Aluminum Alloy In-Line Controls
A single cable to control your music and your calls without missing a beat.
The F3's in-line control unit is made of aluminum alloy, which is not only lightweight yet durable but also is resistant against oxidation, making for a better feel. The F3's in-line controls are fully compatible with FiiO's newer X-series players, such as the X1 2nd gen. The high-definition microphone and call button are also compatible with iOS and Android devices. Volume adjustment is also available for Android devices*.
Click once: Play/Pause
Double click: Next track
Triple click: Previous track
Click once:
Receive/EndHold: Refuse
Hold
*Volume adjustment is not available for iOS devices
Sophisticated Attention to Detail
From the 3.5mm L-type gold-plated plug, to the cable cinch, to the CD pattern finish, to the clear left/right channel identification marks, every detail on the F3 is carefully thought out so each part can live up to the excellent sound quality.
Thoroughly Tested Before Being Delivered to You
We conduct dozens of stringent quality tests, thousands of times, so that you may cast your worries away and your fears are allayed.
Driver Type
Dynamic (Ф11mm)
Headphone Type
In-Ear Monitor
Frequency Response
15Hz - 20kHz
Sensitivity
98dB/mW
Maximum Input Power
5mW
Impedance
40Ω
Single Earbud Weight
19.6g
Cord Length
120cm
Plug Type
3.5mm
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Authorized dealers for FiiO F3
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
- Advanced MP3 Players — online and in-store — Musselburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (website)
- All Elite Audio — online and in-store — Perry Hall, Maryland, United States (website)
- Alpha Audio Pte — online and in-store — Singapore, Singapore (website)
- Apos Audio — online and in-store — Oakland, California, United States (website)
- Audeos — online and in-store — Żywiec, Województwo śląskie (website)
- Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Audio Affair — online and in-store — Deritend, England, United Kingdom (website)
and 59 more verified dealers