Closer Examination

The FiiO x JadeAudio JD3 happens to be the first set of IEMs with a permanently attached cable I have reviewed, and the first not to have the cable go over and behind the ears. This is fairly typical of cheap ear buds and IEMs, and I have a few freebie earphones from the likes of United Airlines, etc., that make the JD3 cable come off as much fancier and sturdier by comparison. It begins with a straight 3.5 mm TRRS connector—the extra contact to account for the in-line mic here—that is gold-plated for additional oxidation resistance for an appropriate source. The plug housing is sandblasted aluminium alloy, which was certainly a surprise. This holds true for other applicable housings too, including on the splitter with the FiiO logo by itself. While a closer look shows that the aluminium alloy is a thin trim over plastic, it still does the job of making the cable come off as more premium than expected. The cable itself uses oxygen-free copper, no doubt of high purity, for the conductor, which makes for a fairly decent cable that does not kink but will still occasionally fight you from being shaped or coiled as you wish. A clip to tuck it in place would have been nice thus, especially as it can be somewhat microphonic, too. The right side has a substantial insert closer to the ear that has an in-line HD microphone and tactile line controls (three buttons), and both channels terminate on the IEM shells with L/R markings on plastic sheathing. There is no cable cinch, but the FiiO-branded cable tie will be useful for storing the IEMs somewhere safe—no storage/carry case is provided with the JD3.


As with the aluminium alloy housings on the cable, FiiO and Jade Audio have gone with metal shells to advertise superior build quality over most inexpensive audio solutions. With the JD3, we get all stainless steel bodies machined out of a single chunk. This makes the unibody construction easier to achieve than from the likes of a lathe if needed in a jiffy, and there are machining marks you will only notice up close on this otherwise smooth and fairly glossy finish. The bullet-shaped body also has blue and red accent rings on the outside for some flair, which are the de-facto face plates here. This design allows for a semi-open IEM design FiiO has been using to good effect on other IEMs released recently, while also helps users easily identify the left (blue) and right (red) channels. Some tactile "dots" on the left channel cable further help visually impaired users, which is great. The pre-installed ear tips fit snugly over the machined retaining notch at the end of the nozzle, and do try out the other ear tips to ensure the best-possible fit with the JD3. I also appreciate FiiO using a metal mesh filter on the end to prevent contaminants from entering the acoustic chamber.

Regardless of which tips you go with, the next step is to connect the cable to your source. I know there are many who prefer using IEMs throughout, but I like to use over-ear headphones when sitting down and IEMs on the go. This is where I found myself missing a carry case, but you will learn to live with scratches on the shells and cable if you don't get an aftermarket case, or small cloth drawstring bag. Regardless, I paired the FiiO x JadeAudio JD3 with all the tested portable DAC/amps to date and personally like the cleaner profile and handy EQ options of the Qudelix-5K as the source, in turn paired to my phone or laptop.