Closer Examination

The cable that comes with the FiiO x Crinacle FHE:Eclipse is quite good in its own right, beginning with a 90° angled 3.5 mm TRS adapter with gold-plating for oxidation resistance and a plastic cover for protection when not used. The conductor consists of high-purity monocrystalline silver-plated copper in two thick, individual strands and what appears to be PU insulation. There is the expected splitter with the FiiO logo, and a cable cinch that ends up more functional than on most such cables. The cable then splits into a strand with two braided cores per channel internally, and closer to the source is where we see a transparent plastic sheath for durability and to retain the memory wire configuration for the cable to naturally fit around and over your ears. The sheathing is not a single piece, but the different sections thankfully do not negatively impact use or comfort. Physically connecting the ear buds is an expanded MMCX connector on each end, housed inside a see-through case with blue and red rings in addition to L and R markings to denote the respective left and right channels. I would have preferred 2-pin connectors myself, but there is still a use case for MMCX paired with a removal tool as compared to some 2-pin cables that can bend the pins easily. The cable is on the stiffer side owing to the thicker insulation and braided cores internally, but is non-microphonic and comfortable enough, especially with the angled MMCX connector housings.


FiiO has generally gone with the smaller, circular form factor for its dynamic driver sets, which makes sense given the analogous nature of dynamic drivers themselves. It was a surprise to see the new FA7s—an all balanced armature design—go this route too. This means the FiiO hybrid series of IEMs end up holding on to the semi-custom fit design for the IEM shells, aiming to provide a more ergonomic fit in your ears as the shells gently contour to fill up the space provided by the concha. The FHE:Eclipse is clearly based on the FH3, and we see the same formula used here with a CNC-machined aluminium/magnesium alloy shell given a black finish that is smooth to the touch without being glossy to avoid attracting dust and fingerprints while also feeling structurally solid to where I have no reason to believe the external design will be an issue for years to come.


There is zero branding here, which is a pleasant surprise. But with no logos or product naming to see, the only way to visually identify the FiiO x Crinacle FHE:Eclipse from the FiiO FH3 is by the number of ripples machined into the face plate—two as opposed to the three on the FH3. I do appreciate that it was not just a case of one less ripple in the manufacturing process as both were moved further in to still be fairly uniform in spacing. The FHE:Eclipse is otherwise an extremely subtle unit with blue/red rings on the left/right channels around the MMCX connections to identify where which cable connector needs to be fitted. There is a vent here, and another on the inner side touching the ear itself. FiiO is leaving nothing to chance here, with another L/R marking for those who need it. Removing the pre-installed ear tips reveals a fairly standard nozzle that is 5.5 mm wide most of the way and 5.8 mm wide at the very end, which also makes for a retaining lip to better secure ear tips. A mesh filter at the nozzle opening helps prevent contaminants from entering the acoustic chamber.


The stock ear tips all fit the nozzle on the IEMs just fine, and for once even the foam tips are not much of a struggle to get around the notch. Notice how the four types vary in overall length, but also form factor, which affects how far into the ear the nozzle goes. Seen above are all four in size M to give you a better idea, and feel free to try different types and sizes to get the best-possible fit. As mentioned before, I do wish FiiO would have updated the packaging to better match what it did with this year's IEMs that had the ear tips neatly packaged and labeled. Regardless of which of the tips you go with, the next step is to re-connect the cable by carefully pushing the MMCX connectors back in place. Be sure to match the channels correctly, and simply connect the connector of your choosing to the source itself. I know there are many who prefer using IEMs throughout, but I like to use over-ear headphones when sitting down and IEMs or TWS earbuds on the go. I paired the FHE:Eclipse with all the tested portable DAC/amps to date, and I personally like the cleaner profile and handy EQ options of the Qudelix-5K as the source, in turn paired to my phone or laptop.