Review of inexpensive FiiO EH3 NC active noise canceling headphones (Topic)

Headphones can come in handy in many situations. If they are full-sized and wired, they will always be needed when listening to music tracks. The presence of wireless ones will also not be superfluous. They will help in dubbing your favorite TV programs late at night, when the children are already asleep. Compact wireless devices should be noted separately. It is good to take them with you on the road or use them during sports. In this review, we will tell you about universal headphones that will come in handy always and in all cases of life.

New device size

The FiiO EH3 NC gadget is the first in the company's lineup. This is because it is full size.

Previously, the company did not produce such modifications. The main thing is that the new product does not get lost among the variety of products manufactured by FiiO. There are players, amplifiers, Bluetooth interfaces, DACs, in-ear headphones.

From this we can conclude that the specialists of this enterprise have an idea of the sound and its quality. This directly confirms the fact that his products are popular all over the world.

FiiO EH3 NC is not just the first full-size earbuds. For the first time, the developer used an active noise reduction system in this model. Before that, he had no experience using such functionality.

To obtain the desired effect, the gadget implements an efficient dual hybrid system with four microphones. There is also an advanced ADI ADAU1777 digital processor. For communication, the Bluetooth 5.0 protocol is used, which supports most of the codecs, including aptX HD, aptX LL and LDAC.

The drivers here have a diameter of 45 mm, which is slightly larger than the standard 40 mm. The diaphragm is titanium-coated on both sides, which improves sound quality and reduces distortion by increasing the rigidity of the structure.

The disadvantages include a decrease in sensitivity to 98 dB in passive mode. But this is not so little.

Design and finishing materials

FiiO EH3 NC are delivered in a sturdy hard case. The user who sees them for the first time will be amazed by the appearance of the device. It is equipped with carbon fiber trims, which are covered with spectacular 2D glass.

The structural elements are made of metal, there is also high quality plastic. Protein leather is used in the finishing of the headband cushion, which in its characteristics is in no way inferior to natural. It is no coincidence that it is used in modern Bentley showrooms.

If you put on the headphones, it immediately becomes clear that they sit flawlessly, they do not press on the head and ears. The use of high-quality materials by the manufacturer prevents the occurrence of unpleasant sensations and sweating. At the same time, the presence of large ranges of headband adjustment allows any user to adjust the gadget to fit their head size.

An additional convenience is the ability to use the device wired. To do this, a 3.5 mm jack was placed on the right earpiece.

Sound and characteristics

To test the executive abilities of FiiO EH3 NC, the developer's testers used the FiiO M11 player. It is convenient in that it supports all Bluetooth codecs, is equipped with an amplifier and processor.

The sound of the device was tested using the aptX HD and LDAC codecs. I liked the first one with its soft, comfortable and harmonious sound. Even if you find fault with something, then, in general, the work of the product can be described as good or very good. Especially worth mentioning about the bass delivery. They are heard clearly and in detail, without deliberate brightness.

It is necessary to note the acoustic reliability of the timbres of all instruments. The device does not heap up all the sound images, but separates them in the sound space, putting everything in its place.

It is necessary to tell separately about the noise reduction system. The difference in the sound of headphones with NC enabled is minimal. This indicates the cleanliness of this functionality, which, even in the pauses between tracks, does not betray its presence by the presence of noise.

Only those who have good natural hearing will be able to recognize the operation of the system. It seems to "dry out" the sound a little, but otherwise there is practically no difference.

If we compare the work of FiiO EH3 NC in wired and wireless modes, then in the first case, the frequency range is slightly distinguished by its brightness. This is especially true for complex percussion compositions like hard rock.

When talking on the phone, the sound quality does not drop, as in some models from other manufacturers. The acoustics of the room in which the conversation is taking place has an impact here. To reduce its influence, you need to have an external microphone, which is an overkill in this case.

All of the above becomes possible due to the gadget's excellent technical characteristics. These include, first of all, the reproducible frequency range from 5 to 40,000 Hz and the impedance of 32 ohms. Also important is the presence of active hybrid noise reduction with an efficiency of 30 +/- 5 dB.

Autonomy

FiiO EH3 NC are equipped with a 1000 mAh battery. The manufacturer claims that the battery life is 30 hours with the noise canceling system on, and 50 hours without it.

The Topic of Article: Review of inexpensive FiiO EH3 NC active noise canceling headphones.
Author: Jake Pinkman