Review on FiiO FH3 Triple Drive HiFi Earphones: High Resolution, Bass Sound, High Fidelity for Smartphones/PC/Tablet by Douglas Jakab

Sound preferences are very subjective so I won't attempt to describe how they actually sound other than to say they sound really great - the best ones i have ever heard . I've had a variety of on-ear and in-ear hearing aids over the years. I'm usually just trying to pick something with good build quality and/or serviceability in the $100-$200 range. I don't consider myself a high class snob; I don't really know how to critically evaluate these things; but I have a really hard time enjoying listening on a device that doesn't produce clear, consistent sound. This is the first time I have purchased an IEM with triple drivers. I have had dynamic drivers and balanced armatures but never used them in the same device before. In my experience dynamic drivers tend to be less accurate and prone to distortion, armature drivers tend to be very accurate but a bit dry and lifeless. I was delighted to finally get an IEM that combined the best of both worlds and I was not disappointed. All other IEMs I've had came with a set of silicone pads and a set of three different sizes of foam pads. This is the first model I've bought that has cushions that you can use to adjust the sound. I know there can be a significant difference in sound between silicone and foam tips, but I was very skeptical that different types of silicone would make a big difference. I usually throw my foam lances straight into the trash because I can't stand them, and this one was no different. I know there has to be someone who either likes the way they feel or the way they sound, but I don't like them in any way. Winner for my personal taste. I think the clear/red peaks provided the clearest sound with the deepest bass (deepest sub-bass). I found them all comfortable enough to experiment with for about 30 minutes. The small tips didn't seal my ear canal, and the large tips sealed well but pushed further back. The medium-sized tips seal and stay inside even after chewing. Obviously, your own mileage will vary. I've found that the best way to get them to sit in my ear canal is to attach them loosely to the outside of my ear canal, then hang a string over my ears, then use my thumb and forefinger, gently to twist and insert them into my ear canal. As with all IEMs I've used, if I push them in too far or don't get them to seal, the sound just goes blank. poor bass reproduction no details; no staging; Nothing. Luckily I don't have a hard time keeping them in place with the right pad and insertion angle. I found the cable to be of high quality. Anyway, it's a bit short. As with all IEMs, there's a bit of cable noise due to vibration, but it's not very noticeable - these are probably the quietest headphones I've had in this regard. The driver cases are metal, so they feel cold for a while when I put them on. Indoors this isn't a problem, but I imagine it would be cold in cold conditions. Apart from the cold factor, they sit very well in my auricle and do not cause any discomfort even after a few hours. I have pretty big ears and they're pretty sensitive - I couldn't use the Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo for very long, for example, because they pressed too hard against my ear (and sounded pretty awful, especially compared to these).