FiiO Jade Audio JT3

A warm sounding budget open-back with great comfort

FiiO and its sub‑brands Jade Audio and Snowsky continue to roll out products that punch well above their price in sound quality, features, and overall execution. That momentum has me genuinely curious about their newest ultra‑budget headphones — this JT3 and the also new JT7 which I have also reviewed.

The JT3 comes in two finishes, black and silver; I’m reviewing the black version, and as you will see, it is a clean, attractive-looking headphone in person.

I’ve spent the few weeks with the JT3 (and the JT7), and I finally feel I have enough impressions to share.

While I do like the JT3, especially for the comfort at the asking price, I have a few niggles especially with the sound signature that I’ll highlight below.

But before I get into what the JT3 sounds like, here’s the unboxing.

Unboxing and first impressions

• The retail box is simple and compact.

For context, I thought the packaging of the JT3 was better than the JT7:

The back of the box:

Inside, the headphones are protected in a plastic cover with the cable and paperwork.

Removing them from the box you see the accessories underneath:

Here is the cable and carry bag:

The included cable features an inline microphone, which is both an handy cable to have and one I wasn’t expecting on this headphone:

So the JT3 in in this protective wrapping:

And here are the complete box contents:

Overall, given the price, everything provided is good.

Build overview

• Open‑back over‑ear design with dual 3.5 mm cup connectors and a detachable cable with inline microphone.
• Finish on the black model is tidy; grills feature the FiiO logo treatment.

• Headband mechanism has good extension. There’s very little cup articulation, but the large velvet pads help with seal and comfort.

The extension mechanism is simple and functional:

The headband padding provides good comfort for extended listening:

Overall, this is a very nice-looking and comfortable headphone:

Fit and comfort

Lightweight for an over‑ear at this price; the clamping force is moderate. Large velvet pads are soft and comfortable. They’re detachable though its a little harder to detach than the JT7 as there is a clip mechanism holding the pads in place.

The driver is slightly angled with some space in the cups, which can help a bit with a more spacious presentation.

The earpads are genuinely comfortable for extended wear:

Sound impressions

This headphone, to my ears, has a large mid‑bass emphasis with a somewhat relaxed treble, so there’s no sibilance — a warm‑tilted sound that will appeal to listeners who enjoy more bass, especially in rock. The mid‑bass is smooth and, technically, very easy to EQ. With a simple EQ to pull back mid‑bass and lift sub‑bass slightly, the JT3 can move toward a more neutral balance with a Harman‑like sub‑bass shelf. After gathering my subjective impressions, this EQ‑adjusted approach became my preferred way to listen.

Bass

The JT3’s bass presentation is dominated by a significant mid‑bass emphasis that gives the headphone its warm, full‑bodied character. This isn’t subtle — the mid‑bass hump is substantial and colors the entire low‑frequency experience with added weight and warmth. Kick drums land with a rounded, pillowy impact that feels generous and forgiving, making the JT3 particularly well‑suited to classic rock, Americana, and older recordings that can benefit from a bit of extra body. The sub‑bass extension is adequate but takes a back seat to the mid‑bass shelf, meaning deep electronic sub‑bass hits lack the same authority you’d find on more neutral or sub‑bass‑focused tunings.

On classic rock with strong low‑end — think Led Zeppelin’s “When the Levee Breaks,” The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter,” or Queens of the Stone Age’s “No One Knows” — the JT3 delivers a warm, driving rumble that brings energy and live‑venue feel to the performance. The warmth adds a sense of power and presence that suits these tracks well, though critical listeners may find it slightly bloomy or blurred compared to tighter, more linear bass responses.

Midrange

The midrange on the JT3 carries the signature of that elevated mid‑bass, which means male vocals and lower‑register instruments can feel a touch forward‑from‑the‑chest, with added warmth and body. This voicing works beautifully for certain genres — folk, Americana, classic rock — where a bit of extra weight and intimacy enhances the emotional connection to the music. Female vocals fare reasonably well but can lack a bit of presence and bite due to the slightly subdued upper‑midrange tuning. The overall effect is pleasant and non‑fatiguing, though some technical clarity is traded for smoothness and warmth.

Tracks like Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” showcase the JT3’s friendly, engaging presentation. Springsteen’s gritty vocals feel full and energetic, while Stevie Nicks’ voice on “Dreams” remains smooth and listenable even if it lacks the last bit of articulation and air you’d get from a more neutral tuning. Guitars and pianos come through with appropriate body, though they can feel slightly veiled on denser mixes. If you value midrange transparency and detail retrieval above all else, the JT3’s warmth may not be your cup of tea, but for long listening sessions and forgiving playback of imperfect masters, it’s a strength.

Treble

The treble region on the JT3 is decidedly relaxed and rolls off gently, which means there’s absolutely no sibilance or harshness to speak of. Cymbals, hi‑hats, and high‑frequency transients are present but softened, landing safely in the mix without splashiness or edge. This makes the JT3 exceptionally easy on the ears for extended listening and particularly friendly for treble‑sensitive listeners or those who find brighter headphones fatiguing. The trade‑off is a reduction in perceived detail and sparkle — the top end doesn’t have the air, extension, or bite that characterizes more analytical or neutral tunings.

On AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” the iconic cymbal work and hi‑hat patterns come through clearly enough to follow the rhythm, but they lack the shimmer and attack you’d hear on a brighter headphone. Detail is present but not etched or emphasized, which keeps the presentation smooth and musical at the expense of some technical precision. If you’re treble‑sensitive or prefer a darker, warmer sound, this will be a definite positive. If you prefer extra sparkle, definition, or air, a gentle high‑shelf boost in the 6–8 kHz region can add some life back into the top end without introducing harshness.

Soundstage and imaging

For an open‑back headphone at this price point, the JT3 delivers a decent sense of space and acceptable imaging precision. The soundstage doesn’t feel particularly wide or expansive, but there’s enough openness and lateral width to provide a convincing presentation on live recordings and well‑produced tracks. Center imaging is stable enough for the class, though the warmth and relaxed treble can make precise instrument placement a bit less defined compared to more neutral alternatives. Layering and separation are serviceable, and while the JT3 won’t compete with higher‑tier open‑backs in terms of spatial accuracy, it does enough to keep complex mixes coherent and enjoyable.

Live recordings like The Eagles’ “Hotel California (Hell Freezes Over)” spread out convincingly across the stage, with the audience ambience and guitar interplay coming through in a pleasant, spacious manner. The JT3’s warm tilt adds a bit of that live‑venue atmosphere, which can enhance the sense of presence and engagement even if it softens some of the finer spatial cues. For casual listening and enjoying music in a relaxed, immersive way, the JT3’s staging is more than adequate.

Overall character and EQ notes

After a few weeks of listening, I settled on a some EQ that reins in the mid‑bass without changing the spirit of the tuning. A single broad cut in the mid‑bass with a small sub‑bass lift keeps the slam while removing the haze — it’s the sort of two‑band adjustment anyone can set in a minute. I’ve detailed this simple recipe in the Measurements section below, along with visualizations. So I added a section later with some EQ recommendations.

Specifications and design notes

Internals and disassembly

Getting inside the JT3 took care and patience. It was a little bit more difficult to open than typical budget dynamics. I followed the official instructions in FiiO’s manual here: https://fiio-instruction.fiio.net/快速入门/2025/JT3%20EN.pdf. You have to work around the rear clip points; with steady prying pressure at the right spots it will clip loose, after which the back can be lifted and the driver becomes accessible. Proceed slowly to avoid marking the plastics.

This close‑up shows the clip holes around the back of the cup that you need to work around to release the shell.

With the pad removed, you can see the rear of the baffle and how the pad interface sits; the pads are easy to swap which is helpful for comfort tuning.

Here is the dynamic driver itself at an angle once the rear shell is disengaged. You can see the angled mounting and venting approach FiiO uses here.

A front look at the pads and opening; large, velvety pads contribute to the comfort and the slightly warm, diffuse presentation.

Measurements

I measured the JT3 on a KB501X softear pinna with a 711 clone coupler, the measurements can be viewed here.

This “warm‑dark‑tuning” trace captures the stock balance clearly:

So, elevated mid‑bass that adds warmth and weight, coupled with a gentle down‑tilt through the presence/treble regions. It’s easy on the ears and forgiving, but midrange articulation can feel a bit veiled on dense mixes.

In the graph below I sort of prepared the JT3 for some EQ and just to highlight the 1 or 2 areas where it can do with some EQ:

1. This midbass can easily be cut with some EQ to remove the haze.
2. The treble peak (which might not be a problem for everyone) is something that I feel can be manually fixed (so don’t use the FR on this graph but maybe listen to some test tones around this FR and see can you hear a boosted treble roughly in this region and then lower it - it will be different on your head ).

Comparing the JT3 with some other FiiO headphones:

I specifically thought it had a similar bass to the FT3 with that much warmer tonality.

But in my opinion, FiiO has made much better sounding headphones, so this is more a price-appropriate sound profile.

Distortion

Distortion stays well‑behaved for the category, with low bass distortion rising as expected at higher SPLs:

And as a percentage, there is nothing to get concerned about, though I would have liked slightly less distortion in the treble region:

A super‑simple PEQ that fixes the warmth

The only real sound issues I have is that very large warm mid‑bass.

The good news is this is the simplest, most consistent area to correct with EQ.

Two gentle filters transform the JT3 into something much closer to neutral for most listeners: a broad cut centered around the mid‑bass, and a small compensating lift down in true sub‑bass so the foundation doesn’t feel hollowed out.

Roughly, this graph below shows how that midbass can be tamed:

So 2 bands of PEQ:

With that two‑band tweak, the bass cleans up, male vocals de‑bloat, and the overall tonality snaps closer to a familiar neutral curve while keeping the JT3’s smooth, unfatiguing character intact.

Rating

• Pragmatic rating (4/5): Easy comfort, detachable pads, and a useful mic cable make this a very practical budget open‑back. The stock tuning’s extra mid‑bass won’t suit everyone but responds well to light EQ.
• Price rating (5/5): Strong value considering build, comfort, and included mic cable.
• Features rating (4/5): Detachable cable with mic, angled driver, and large velvet pads at this price point are welcome.
• Measurement rating (3/5): Solid baseline and most important, it is easy to EQ.

Ideal for:

• Listeners who enjoy a warm, bass‑forward presentation for rock and similar genres
• Anyone wanting a comfortable, lightweight open‑back for home use with a convenient mic for calls
• Tinkerers who don’t mind a touch of EQ or pad rolling

Conclusion

The JT3 is a sensible, comfortable entry into open‑back over‑ears from the Jade Audio side of FiiO. Out of the box it leans warm with a big mid‑bass and relaxed treble, which many will enjoy for rock and long sessions. If you prefer a cleaner balance, a quick EQ cut to mid‑bass and a small lift to sub‑bass and presence can reshape it fast.

Between the comfort, detachable velvet pads, angled driver, and the handy mic cable, the JT3 makes a strong case as a budget daily driver. It’s not chasing ultimate neutrality — and that’s okay at this price. With or without EQ, it’s an easy headphone to live with.