šŸ”¶ FiiO FH3 2BA 1DD

When is you review on the FH3 coming out? :slight_smile:

Right on! And yea they are very heavy LOL, Iā€™m looking forward to getting my hands on the fh3 at this point due to the similar tunings :grinning: :+1: (blon urb oh10 et all)

After UM MEST cuz they blew my mind and now EE ODIN

@Mufflertape Beryllium is legit. Science FTW. FH3 is great. Am sure it will be their best selling IEM.

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Look forward to it then! Even though I already have it and reviewed it myself lol.

Whats interesting is that we have a very different kind of music library but yet they still sound great. Just proves how versatile it is.

(I listen to more modern music and OSTs, Linkin Park, Hiroyuki Sawano, Shiro Sagisu, Yuki Hayashi)

Hey Chrisā€¦

When youā€™re done with the Odin, could you send it my way? :crazy_face:

IER Z1R vs Odin vs MEST. Heavyweight brawl!

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OKā€¦ This was somewhat surprising for me. I now have a much clearer understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of both the ISN H40 & the Fiio FH3. The biggest surprise was that when I thought I had the general gist down of their characteristics and was attempting to guess at how each would perform on the next track, many times I was wrong until I actually listened back to back.

Here are my listening findings

ISN H40 VS Fiio FH3

AMP NOTES & TIPS

DAC - SMSL SU-8
AMP - THX AAA 789 on low gain

Running the ISN H40 4.4 balanced (this may give the H40 a slight advantage)
Running the FH3 unbalanced 3.5

TIPS
ISN H40 - SpinFit CP100-S
Fiio FH3 - SpinFit CP100-M

The ISN H40 would probably benefit from an analytical amp/dac while the Fiio FH3 would benefit from a warmer amp/dac.

All my sources are FLAC USB direct to DAC.

GENERAL FINDINGS

FR on both sets is quite similar. Technicalities show their differences better than FR.
H40 - More natural timber, softer, slower, warmer, easier to drive (balanced), can be sibilant on certain tracks, really shine with acoustic/romantic/emotional music.
FH3 - Incredible technicalities espcially overall detail, bass & mid control, and speed. Upper frequencies are smooth! Incredible stage and image seperation. Timber can be slightly tinny at times. Tracks need to be recorded very sibilant to show on the FH3.

BASS
Big Boi - Boomiverse - Kill Jill - FH3 WIN - Sub bass is more textured and defined on FH3
Hyper - Lies - Lies - FH3 WIN - Bass is more textured and defined on FH3
Blade Runner 2049 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Wallace - H40 WIN - Ambient Sub Bass with dynamics, H40 sounded more dense
Tool - Fear Inoculum - Legion Inoculate - TIE

SPEED, TRANSIENTS, DYNAMICS & TEHCNICALITIES
Dream Theater - Distance Over Time - At Witā€™s End - FH3 WIN - Much tighter, faster & detailed
Jason Richardson - I - Titan - FH3 WIN - Much tighter, faster & detailed - This is a TORTURE TEST
Hyper - Lies - Spoiler - FH3 WIN - Much tighter, faster & detailed
Interstellar - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Mountains - TIE - No clear winner for dynamics test - FH3 more detailed, H40 warmer/softer
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories - Within - H40 WIN - Softer, warmer and more romantic, timber of ride was warmer, ā€œtinnierā€ on FH3.
Opeth - Watershed - Porcelain Heart - H40 WIN - Softer, warmer and more romantic, timber of ride was warmer, ā€œtinnierā€ on FH3.

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING
Yosi Horikawa - Wandering EP - Letter - FH3 WIN - Much wider and much better imaging hands down. H40 feels maybe half as wide as the FH3.
Tool - Fear Inoculum - Legion Inoculate - FH3 WIN - Much wider and much better imaging hands down.

TREBLE SHARPNESS
Darkwater - Human - Alive (Part II) (guitar solos) - WOW! This was telling - FH3 WIN - FH3 not only wins hands down for the guitar solo harshness, the image definition and clarity were bad on the H40. Everything smeared together. It sounded like a mess compared to the FH3. The ride sounded more natural/warmer on the H40 where the FH3 sounded more tinny.

FEMALE VOCALS/SIBILANCE/TEXTURE/MIDS
Adele - Hello - H40 WIN - Warmer, more romantic, softer, more natural timber
Aurora - A Different Kind of Human - FH3 WIN - FH3 is smoother and not sibilant, H40 can be sibilant.
Big Boi - Boomiverse - Kill Jill - H40 WIN - H40 treble is more aggressive, FH3 is smoother
Paramore - Riot - crushcrushcrush - H40 WIN - This was CLOSE! Both sets get sibilant, I preferred the body and warmth of the H40 more.
Evanescence - Fallen - Bring Me to Life - FH3 WIN - FH3 is smoother and not sibilant, H40 can be sibilant.
Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia - Donā€™t Start Now - TIE -
Colbie Callat - Breakthrough - Droplets - H40 BIG WIN - Softer, warmer and more romantic. The H40 really shines here. Beautiful!
White Moth Black Butterfly - Atone - Rising Sun - FH3 WIN - Vocals are clearer and not as pushed back as on the H40
Sabrina Claudio - Confidently Lost - Tell Me - H40 WIN - Softer, warmer and more romantic. Can be on the edge of sibilant.
Amaranthe - Amaranthe - Amaranthine - FH3 WIN - FH3 is smoother and not sibilant
Diana Krall - Turn Up the Quiet - Night and Day - H40 BIG WIN - Softer, warmer and more romantic. More natural timber shines here.

MALE VOCALS/TEXTURE/MIDS
Daniel Tompkins - Castles - Castles - FH3 WIN - H40 was constantly sibilant. FH3 was smooth.
White Moth Black Butterfly - Atone - Rising Sun - FH3 WIN - Vocals are clearer and not as pushed back as on the H40
Eumeria - Rebel Mind - Rebel Mind - FH3 WIN - Vocals are clearer and not as pushed back as on the H40 surrounding instruments sounded mushy.
James Labrie - Elements of Persuasion - Drained - FH3 WIN - Vocals are clearer and not as pushed back as on the H40 surrounding instruments sounded mushy.
Ghost - Prequelle - Pro Memoria - H40 WIN - Softer & warmer.
Evergrey - The Inner Circle - A Touch of Blessing, More Than Ever - FH3 WIN - Vocals are clearer and not as pushed back as on the H40 surrounding instruments sounded mushy.
Opeth - Damnation - Windowpane - H40 WIN - Softer, warmer & more natural timber
Opeth - Watershed - Porcelain Heart - H40 WIN - Softer, warmer & more natural timber
Ray Alder - What The Water Wants - The Road (Acoustic) - H40 WIN - Softer, warmer and more romantic.
Symphony X - Iconoclast - When All Is Lost - TIE - H40 for the acoustic/slow portions, softer, warmer & more natural timber. FH3 for heavier parts. FH3 is clearer and vocals are not as buried as H40.
John Mayer - Room for Squares - My Stupid Mouth - FH3 WIN - FH3 is smoother and not sibilant. H40 was horribly sibilant on this track, wanted it out of my ears!

REQUESTS
Nubiyan Twist - Straight Lines - H40 Vocals are pushed back vs the FH3. Generally warmer timber. Bass is almost in the way of other instruments. FH3 has a claner presentation. Prefer the FH3 generally on this track.

My choiceā€¦

EDIT: Photos added.

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Great job dude!

What source did you play them on? If it is a dap like the Fiio M11, Ibasso DX160 then the balanced output will give you double the output power than the SE. Best is if you can use them both from either SE or balanced only.

Thanks, I forgot to add that info (EDITED).

It actually is an unfair competition since the H40 was truly balanced and the FH3 was not. Still, I think the FH3 did just fine even against a balanced set. I did my best to volume correct for every change. I am getting my Fiio balanced cable tomorrow and can update my findings if there are any changes after the balanced cable.

wow, yeah that is definitely unfair lol. Although having more power is usually helping the bass more than anything else thoughā€¦

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Yeah. I didnā€™t want to take the MMCX connectors off to swap cables especially with the FiiO LC-RE coming tomorrow.

I think the general takeaway has nothing to do with balanced vs non balanced. Itā€™s about the FH3 generally being the superior IEM in just about all situations except for its slight timber issues. The FH3 also sounds fantastic on acoustic/more romantic music, the H40 just shines more brightly on those types of recordings because its technical shortcomings actually benefit it in those situations and its warmer tilt helps its timbre vs the FH3.

Both are very appealing IEMs and I donā€™t feel anyone would be upset with either one. Iā€™m really nitpicking details here between the two to help give potential buyers an idea of the general differences between them both.

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No need to change the MMCX on the FH3 when you got a cable coming (its a very tight connection so feels quite risky to change cable on it).

For me the timbre in the FH3 is probably the best one out of my hybrids/tribrids.

The only songs I have wanted the FH3 to be more natural in are stuff that needs a bit thinner and brighter vocals. (stuff that sounds good on the Blessing 2 lol). But the B2 is a specialist and the FH3 gets close to how natural it is even on songs the B2 is specialized for.

EDIT: Forgot about the Sony XBA A2, that has the best timbre of all my stuff and is a hybrid lol.

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@hawaiibadboy what do you think about FH3 vs Sony N3 and Thieaudio L9 ???

Well mine showed up about 30 minutes ago and uhhh yeahā€¦ Holy fuck. Thatā€™s all I got for now.

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Iā€™m very curious about how the FH3 imaging compares to the Mangird Tea. Of all of the strengths of the Tea, by far, the most notable to me is itā€™s holographic imaging. Iā€™ve never heard an IEM like it. I mostly listen with my eyes closed, and can place performers/instruments in a 3D space easily. Iā€™m curious how the the FH3 compares. Regarding the tuning and overall sound signature, I have a better idea of how they compare.

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Yo bro :smiley:

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Iā€™ve lurked here for a while, but this thread inspired me to join. Resistance is futile, I placed my order on Amazon. This may make me rethink me plan to save up for the 64 Audio Nio. Iā€™m thinking that between the FH3 and Tea, I have all music genres covered.

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hahaha, yeah it is pretty hard to not pull the trigger on something that is hyped. :joy:

Then when the P2 comes out, the trigger will be pulled then again when the A7 comes. rinse and repeat :joy:

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The positive about doing it like this, is that it allows the manufacturers to improve the latest tech (EST) and make them better and cheaper. So that is nice and it also allows you to know better about what you prefer the sound to be like since you have more iems. :+1:

Iā€™ll be happy to do some listening test tonight for you.

EDIT: Sorry something came up and this will take me till at least tomorrow night to carve out some time to do it. You might have your own FH3 by then? Congrats!

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So is the FH3 the $100 -$200 IEM king?

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