FiiO JH13 In Ear Earphones

The FiiO Jade Audio JH13 is an affordable hybrid in-ear monitor with three drivers per side: a custom 10mm dynamic driver for rich, deep bass and two custom composite balanced armatures for detailed, airy treble, joined by a specially designed crossover. The dynamic driver borrows the asymmetrical magnetic circuit of FiiO’s FT3 headphones and a CCAW voice coil of 0.033mm wire from Japan’s Daikoku, the faceplates are genuine zebrawood, and at 110dB/mW the JH13 is easy to drive from a phone or dongle. It is Hi-Res Audio certified.

1 + 2 > 3: one dynamic driver, two balanced armatures

Each earpiece combines one dynamic driver and two balanced armatures (BAs). The custom 10mm dynamic driver produces rich, robust, deep bass, while the custom composite dual BAs greatly boost treble resolution and add a refreshing sense of air. A specially designed crossover makes them work together for clear, detailed and accurate sound, with, FiiO says, double the sense of layering of earphones that use a dynamic driver alone.

Asymmetrical magnets for fast, easy-to-drive sound

The dynamic driver uses the asymmetrical internal and external dual magnetic circuit found in the FiiO FT3 headphones. FiiO optimised it with finite element method (FEM) simulation to raise the magnetic field density in the voice coil’s gap. The result is a sensitivity of 110dB/mW, so the JH13 sounds great even from smartphones and dongle DACs, and an efficiency that matches the sensitive balanced armatures for a cohesive, natural sound. The driver also responds quickly to changes in the signal, so instruments and drum beats come through with clarity and impact.

A Daikoku CCAW voice coil for transparent treble

The dynamic driver’s voice coil is high-performance CCAW (copper-clad aluminium wire) from the Daikoku Corporation of Japan, with a wire core just 0.033mm across. The lighter aluminium coil reduces the mass of the moving system for a quicker transient response, giving clearer, more transparent treble full of detail, with percussion and drums in particular sounding crisper and snappier.

Genuine zebrawood faceplates

The faceplates are made from genuine zebrawood, whose naturally formed, interwoven light and dark stripes give a warm, vintage feel; as a natural material, the grain varies from pair to pair. The wood is also rigid and structurally stable, for earphones that last. One faceplate carries the FiiO logo and the other the Jade Audio logo.

Detachable cable and a secure, comfortable fit

The high-purity oxygen-free copper (OFC) cable has 120 wires in four strands for stable transmission. It has a 3.5mm plug at one end and 0.78mm 2-pin connectors at the other, so it is easy to swap or upgrade, and shielded connector housings protect the delicate pins and make a more secure connection with the earphones.

The around-the-ear design seats each earpiece firmly in your ear canal and spreads the pressure for a stable, comfortable fit. The cable follows the contour of your ear, which reduces movement and friction and effectively eliminates the microphonics (cable noise) common to many in-ear headphones.

Tuned for an engaging, unfatiguing sound

FiiO integrated the different drivers through precise physical, acoustic and electronic crossover design, so the JH13 combines the deep bass impact of a dynamic driver with the detailed resolution of balanced armatures. It keeps the air and rich harmonics of instruments such as flutes, cymbals and guitars while reducing sibilance in vocals, for an engaging, unfatiguing sound that suits all kinds of music.

The JH13 is Hi-Res Audio certified, recognising its high-quality sound, with a frequency response from 10Hz to 40kHz.

Good to know

• The 2-pin connectors are standard 0.78mm, so you can fit a different cable later, such as the FiiO LS-3.5B. The included cable has no microphone.
• Phone without a headphone socket? A small dongle such as the Jade Audio JA11 or FiiO KA11 drives the JH13 easily.
• Related earphones: the single-driver Jade Audio JD1, FiiO’s own one-dynamic, two-Knowles-BA FH3, or the five-driver Jade Audio JH5.
• In the box: JH13 earphones, 3.5mm cable, three pairs of ear tips (S, M, L) and quick start guide.