Hey guys! Before we get started, check out Apos Audio. They are a great up-and-coming distributor with a phenomenal-looking website and excellent customer service. They also offer free shipping, the lowest price guarantee, a 2-year warranty, and a 45-day return.
Greetings mate and Welcome aboard!
Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…
If there are only a few companies that I truly believe attempt to push the boundaries of technology and deliver excellent products, FiiO, a Chinese manufacturer of audio gear based in Guangzhou is certainly one of them.
Time and again they manage to impress me, and that’s not an easy feat considering how jaded I’ve become about the industry at large over the last few years.
In other words, audio has almost become too much of a good thing, but my undying love for music remains; thus why we’re still here reviewing things that output sound and helping you navigate the uncharted waters of confusion.
And, as much as I love headphones and always will, I’ve really come to appreciate good reference monitors over the last couple of years; whether in mixing down my own tracks or enjoying/analyzing/critiquing other people’s music.
So I was pretty ecstatic when Apos Audio offered to send over the SP3, a Hi-Fi desktop active speaker with a real snot-nose attitude.
And I mean that in the nicest way possible. The SP3 positions itself as a strong contender in the realm of affordable desktop speakers, but is it worth a purchase?
Let’s dive in and find out what these bad boys are all about.
FiiO SP3
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Apos!
In the Box
In the box, you’ll discover the primary speaker (this contains all of the buttons and knobs), the secondary speaker, a power adapter, an AC power cable, an RCA to 3.5mm cable, the Primary and secondary speakers connecting cable, and 2 sets of rubber bases: one at 0° and one at 7°. These are fantastic and help protect the speakers while elevating them a bit if need be (7° base option).
Also included is the obligatory user’s manual in a slew of different languages.
Build
Coming in at a robust and somewhat eye-popping-for-their-size 1840g, these puppies are really packing.
Typically, the primary speaker is fairly heavy since it contains all the main internals, but even the SP3’s secondary homie feels incredibly rugged at 1660g.
This is in stark contrast to the Presonus Eris e3.5; a fantastic budget monitor but also incredibly light. Compared to the SP3, it feels like something you’d find in the toy section of your local Wal-Mart.
The SP3 contains aluminum alloy for the cabinets, utilizing liquid die casting in addition to a 3.5″ carbon fiber woofer and 1″ silk tweeter.
These larger-than-average woofers and tweeters have an advantage over others in their class, providing better Soundstage, timbre, resolution, etc.
In other words, these are incredibly fast and faithfully reproduce even the swiftest genres: from Metal to Rock, EDM, and anything in between.
Sound
- Playlist: Here!
- Source(s): Spotify, FLAC, PS4, YouTube
- Amp/DACs Used: AudioQuest DragonFly Red, FiiO K9, FiiO K19.
- Games: Uncharted 3, more to come!
I did a side-by-side with my Yamaha HS7 in real-time, and I was astonished that the SP3 almost matched it pound-for-pound in resolution, neutrality, and overall realism.
Do keep in mind my HS7 is paired with a Volt 2 and utilizes a balanced connection, but single-ended, the SP3 sounds nearly as good.
- Required Reading: Balanced vs. Unbalanced Audio Cables
This is staggering when you consider it’s roughly 1/4 the size of the Yammys and has no business sounding this professional.
Moreover, the SP3 somehow packs 80W of total power (30W*2 + 10W*2) vs. 95 for the HS7. That’s fairly shocking and just another reason why these are such a big deal despite their tiny footprint.
SP3 sitting behind the Korg Volca Keys
I’ve demoed enough gear to almost instinctively know when something sounds good or not the moment I press play, and the SP3 completely blew me away.
The 1″ silk tweeter employing a KSV copper-clad aluminum voice coil marvelously reproduces the treble region, providing a remarkable amount of air after 10kHz and a sense of sparkle that makes me want to get up and shake my ass.
In fact, when Mount Kimbie’s “Break Well” broke into the finale at 2:35, that’s exactly what I did. I danced around naked in my apartment with the blinds open. You should try it sometime.
This is even more astounding when you consider that these speakers somehow fill up the entire space, providing an almost concert hall-like illusion.
OK, not that grand, but for the price, you can’t argue with it.
From FiiO:
In 2023, I decided to move my studio out of my boxy bedroom and into the empty dining room I never used.
This irregularly shaped, very open area is the best spot for recording that exists in my apartment, as there are no obstructions, and the sound is allowed plenty of space without bouncing around like a trampoline park.
The fact that the SP3 can fill up my entire dining room and living room (they connect and are essentially one big oddly shaped room) is a testament to how exemplary these are.
From FiiO:
I’m sitting here shaking my head because oftentimes, market speak is just that. Usually, it ends up being a load of hot air.
But I just can’t get over how good these sound and I have to give it to FiiO: when they describe something in technical terms within the context of how it relates to what you’re hearing, it’s usually spot on.
In other words, all the methodologies and painstaking developments they share in conveying the overall performance of these speakers are 100% accurate and make complete sense as you’re reading their explanations and listening to music.
Even if you know nothing about the process, you’ll instinctively know that it’s likely they’re telling the truth.
It’s simply breathtaking how good these sound, and for around $300, the performance perfectly matches the price you’re paying (another great quality about the company).
If you can believe it, these punch above their price bracket and almost sound as good as my HS7.
If I had to compare the 2, I’d say the HS7 is slightly cleaner, airier, and more neutral, but it’s such a close call.
When I first went back and forth I said to myself “Man, these sound pretty similar.” After looking at the graph, it made sense. They’re both tuned almost identically and the engineers have an incredibly good understanding of how frequency response works.
And, they include a bass knob so you can dial in on your preferred amount when you’re just maxing and relaxing.
Normally this is kind of a gimmick, but because the low end, and overall sound in general, are both tuned correctly, a bass knob makes perfect sense and ends up being a wonderful add-on.
As far as the raw bass response, All of the emphasis is concentrated exactly where it should be: around 60-90/100Hz, followed by a cut in the mud regions of 200-300. The sub-bass rolls off as it should since we cannot perceive much below 40Hz.
This allows you to add some sub-bass in your mixes if necessary, but because it rolls off, you’ll get a more accurate portrayal of what music actually sounds like; even if you’re not EQing anything and are just casually listening to your favorite tracks.
Again, these are incredibly faithful to the recording and allow you to quickly gauge whether or not something was mixed and mastered correctly.
So as a pair of mixing monitors? They’re excellent and highly recommended.
If you’re familiar with this blog, as a producer, I harp endlessly on how important this is.
This is because most companies end up completely obliterating the bass by boosting areas that should be cut; either out of ignorance or simply because they don’t give a shit and know most uninformed people will lap it up like stale dog water.
This has been seen countless times, from the God-awful 99 Neo, Black Hole, A10, NightHawk, M40x, and a slew of other bad sound signatures that make my blood boil just thinking about them.
The SP3 is a wonderful breath of fresh air and has almost completely reinvigorated my love for good products again.
In other words, go ahead and soil your undies now if you want, but you’ll really be shooting your load off later when you finally hear them in person.
Contrary to what some of my regular readers may think, giving negative reviews of products is not actually all that fun. OK, it can be sometimes, but after a while, it starts to wear you down and make you question your sanity.
The SP3 does not make me question my sanity. It makes me want to purchase a pair right away. If I was in the market for a speaker that doubles as both a reference monitor and casual listening homie, I wouldn’t think twice before mashing the buy button.
Furthermore, I think these are arguably better than the JBL LSR 305; my very first monitor and something I look back on with a great amount of fondness and love.
And if all that wasn’t enough, they also light up. If, like me, you’re a sucker for colors, it’s simply the cherry on top of an amazingly well-crafted cake.
Back Panel
That thing above the FiiO logo is a piece of hair or something.
Turning the unit around, we’re greeted with the Volume dial, bass dial (-8dB – 0dB), the input button (toggles line or RCA), the RGB button, the 3.5mm line input, RCA inputs, the Power button, DC 24V jack, and the Out to left speaker jack.
Double-click the RGB button to cycle light effects:
- Mode 1: Pulsates (Magenta, Yellow, Cyan) with a final click being a static rainbow.
- Mode 2: Pulsates all the colors.
The bass is also rear-ported, so try to situate them as far away from the wall as you can.
Setup
Secondary speaker
Connecting them is quite simple.
If you don’t have a Preamp or something that doubles as a preamp, you can theoretically use your PC’s 3.5mm line out, but this can have varying effects depending on the quality of the internal soundcard (also referred to as a DAC or “digital-to-analog converter.”
Right now I’m using an AudioQuest DragonFly Red as the preamp, but you don’t need to spend that much to get a great conversion. I may opt for something like FiiO’s own K3 (which I also have), an ATOM, or something similar in the $100 range. Do note that the ATOM is an amp only and needs a separate DAC.
Again, try your PC/Laptop first (as the DAC) with the supplied RCA to 3.5mm cable and see how it sounds.
If you experience crackling/static, or generally poor/weak sound output, then consider something else. If you need help, just leave a comment below or contact me!
With the DragonFly Red, I’m only on about 36/100 and the knob on the back of the SP3 is set to halfway. In other words, there’s loads of headroom here and you won’t have to worry. These things pack a ridiculous punch.
Placement
You can situate them straight, but to get the best sound, angle them in so the configuration forms an equilateral triangle toward your melon; making sure the tweeters specifically are elevated to about ear level.
This creates the amazing Soundstage that helps in portraying the elements of a track in the places they were recorded, but also generally results in an overall immersive, atmospheric, and engaging listening experience.
It also helps in determining who did a good job panning instruments, voices, and other misc. sounds in their mix vs. who didn’t. If you’re a producer, use these insights to improve your own tracks!
- Required Reading: Proper Home Studio Monitor Placement And Positioning Setup Guide
Closing Thoughts
FiiO’s SP3 is certainly one of the best products I’ve ever reviewed, and will be added to my Best Budget Home Studio Monitors For Mixing list ASAP.
They’re also perfect for casual listening if your goal is to actually hear what’s really going on behind the scenes of your favorite tracks.
Furthermore, they’re built like a damn jet engine, easily fit anywhere you want, and light up like Nicolay with a fat blunt in his mouth.
Yes indeed, this is one of the easiest recommendations I’ll ever make and I can’t say enough good things about them.
Learn More:
Specifications
- Speaker Model: SP3
- Configuration: 3.5″ carbon fiber woofer, 1″ silk dome tweeter
- Frequency Range: 65Hz-20kHz (±2dB)
- Audio Input: LINE IN 1 input, LINE IN 2 input
- Amplifier distortion output power limit: Bass 2*30W, Treble 2*10W
- Bass adjustment: -8dB~0dB
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this FiiO SP3 Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please leave them down below or Contact me!!
If you love what I do here and want to support the blog and channel in a more personal way, check me out on Patreon and discover all the value I have to offer you.
Any experience with FiiO? Speakers? Monitors? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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Photo Gallery
Secondary speaker
3 comments
Hi Charles, stumbled upon your YT channel, liked it, and am now reading your reviews.
How come you are the only one liking them???
Did they change anything after the initial negative response( Erin’s audio corner, etc.)
To me you are really credible so I wonder where the discrepancy comes from.
Thanks for your work and efforts
Hey! Thank you for your viewer/readership as well as the vote of confidence! And it’s my pleasure. I hope you will continue to browse the site as there’s a lot of good stuff here and I’m always updating articles.
As for your question, that’s very interesting. I will have to reach out to FiiO about it and see if there is something that changed. That said, I’m unsure of why others aren’t liking them. The frequency response very closely matches the HS7 and is great for both mixing/casual listening if you prefer something more neutral. Could be that some people either don’t understand correct tuning or they were expecting booming muddy bass and didn’t get it.
If I had to give a minor nitpick (and this is something I forgot to add to the article), the speakers can be a little brighter than average (i.e. they rise a bit in the upper mids and moving into the treble) but to me it helps with air/resolution and also detecting flaws in a mix much easier. I’ve been noticing this in some tracks and I think it’s a combination of the source file and the speakers. In other words, some tracks are mixed a bit brighter so that’s another really important consideration to make – perhaps the main one. It all comes down to the source first, then the speakers/headphones second.
Hope that helps! I will keep you posted. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
-Stu
Hey so I emailed FiiO basically asking if something was changed or fixed. I also shared your comment. Here’s what the rep had to say:
“Hi, stu
Yes, this is interesting. Actually, i didn’t know Erin until someone sent me the link of his SP3 review. We respect every review no matter whether his review is positive or negative. I think most of Erin’s negative issues are to our copywriter in our website, not the product itself.
Best regards”
FWIW