This is the official thread for the FiiO FD3 & FD3 Pro
This thread is for discussion and reviews.
- Type: In Ear
- Amp needed: NO
Hifiguides Amazon LinkHere are a few video reviews:
They’re certainly aesthetically pleasing.
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I purchased the non-pro version. They aren’t my favorite for music, but absolutely love them with my PS4.
Yeah, I listened to them briefly tonight and feel quite “meh” about them. It’s funny the FD3 “pro” comes with the “pro” cable and it’s one of the worst cables that has come with any of my Fiio IEMs except for the FD1.
The FD5 and FH5s cables are in a completely different league.
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Is that cable the “Pro” version? I dig the looks, but not completly over sold on it, and judging by your impressions, dont seem great. Do you have measurements yet?
Yep, it is. It looks nice but it is a bit stiff.
I know you don’t think so highly of the FD5. I remember an argument with you and a guy insisting FD5 was way better than the Tanchjim Oxygen. What about the Fh5s? What do you hinm about it?
Both the FH5 and FH5s are my least favorite Fiio hybrids. I prefer both the FH7 and FH3.
I will say though that the FH5s is special when it comes to being so open. It loses out on bass impact, but it’s very comfortable to wear and I never have any inner-ear suction issues while listening to it as I do most IEMs. Still, FH7 & FH3 > FH5 & FH5s.
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Does anybody have both FD3 and FD5? What’s the difference
Yep, I have a few Fiio IEMs…
The FD5 is around $300. The FD3 is $110-$150. The FD5’s DD is coated with beryllium. The FD3 has a DLC Diamond Diaphragm. The FD5 has a more open sound due to the faceplate venting design. The FD3 venting is located on the underside of the MMCX connector and allows less air movement. Obvious faceplate designs and color differences. The tuning appears to be targeted as similar as possible within the hardware limitations.
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I guess that means the FD5 isolates slightly less, but it has a more airy quality, and a beryllium bass. I’ve never heard a beryllium IEM before, so I wonder how they sound compared.
Sort of. When more air is allowed to escape (more venting) bass impact is reduced. The FH5s sounds the most open of all the Fiio IEMs followed by the FD5.
If you think you prefer more bass or slam, the FD3 will be the better choice because it is not as open. @hawaiibadboy did a good job of explaining the differences in his FD3 review if you’re really interested…
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The tuning appears to be targeted as similar as possible within the hardware limitations.
Is that a trend among fiio gear, guess you’d call that the “house sound” ? I was tip rolling my FD3 and FH3 the other day and noticed you could get them fairly close in tuning if you wanted to.
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Nah, Fiio’s tuning is all over the place. 
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Hello friends,
I got to experience the FD3 courtesy of a friend(he bought and sent me for an audition, I simply loved it <3 Here are my short impressions.
FiiO FD3: Not Just A Regular Single Dynamic IEM!!
FiiO is one of my favorite brands where I have used many of their gears previously including M11 Pro Music Player, FH5 IEM, and FD5 IEMs. And to be very honest, FD5 were my favorite single dynamic IEMs until today when I got to experience the FD3.
I was not at all interested in buying the FD3 at all. I thought I have now evolved from the state where I need my FD5 with me(I sold it long back). But hearing this gem, made me go insane. This little beauty comes very close to just 100$ but in my general opinion, is a much better value-for-money stuff than the FD5. It’s like FiiO created a competition for themselves. Coming to brief impressions on the FD3.
Tonality: Warm with elevated bass. The bass response of this pair is like a sub-woofer. You get to experience some of the best bass you can at this price point with the FD3.
Lower End: As mentioned above, the best I have experienced at this price point. It’s punchy, it’s impactful, it’s literally a sub-woofer in your ears. Want a fun listening session? FD3 is the perfect one for you.
Midrange: I find midrange warm and musical. The vocals have good clarity and carry good emotions with them. Acoustic instruments are well-detailed.
Treble: The top end has a smooth treatment, the extension is good, the instrument separation is excellent for the price point. There is no noticeable harshness or sibilance with the FD3.
Soundstage: Good width with a decent amount of air on the stage.
A short comparison between FD5 and FD3.
IMO, take a little bit of energy out of FD5, elevate some bass response, and give a warm touch to the vocals, whooosh FD3 is here.
Some Cons with FD3:-
In terms of sound, I just can’t complain about anything. But obviously, if you prefer reference-grade or balanced sound, the FD3 is not for you. It has a bassy signature.
My Biggest concern with FD3 is its weight. I listened to the pair for about an hour or two, and my ears were paining. The earpieces are heavy and are not designed for long listening sessions.
Well, that’s about it from my side on the FD3. Hope it helps you out. I will try to write an in-depth review soon too!!
Thanks. If you like it please leave me a like 
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I had the chance to listen to the FD3, even though I wasn’t even interested in it and didn’t like it at all. In retrospect I am very glad I did try it though, because it is such a good showcase how subjective this hobby is.
Some reviewers who like it (more or less):
- RikudouGoku rates the FD5 S tier (close to the very top of his list). Which baffles me even more is, that his target (according to squig.link) is probably my favorite of all of them
- HBB rated the FD5 at B… on par with the blessing2, Monarch and Dunu SA6… even higher than the Sony M9. And if I didn’t misunderstand him, he prefers the FD3 over the FD5
On the other hand we have:
- Crinacle: Gives the FD5 a C+, which isn’t very good by his standards
- Super Review: Gave both the FD3 and FD5 3/5 stars and was rather underwhelmed
I liked the FD3 as a product… the fit was good, the optics and haptics were great, I liked the cable, a lot of accessories… but the sound was terrible imho. Far too bassy… less details, then on a 20$ KZ/CCA… despite the lack of treble extension it somehow managed still to have sibilance.
I disliked the sound so much, that it turns out to be a great discriminator of which reviewers to listen to personally/
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