Believe it or not, Fidue's $349 wired in-canal A83 earphones are actually the least expensive in its lineup, which features in-ears that clock in at just under $900.
Even at $350 we expect excellence, and the triple-driver A83 earphones deliver a fantastic audio experience.
The highs are perhaps too bright for some, but this is a full, balanced sound signature overall.
For the same price, however, the Etymotic ER4 XR will appeal to a wider range of audio preferences, and remain our Editors' Choice.
Design
Visually, the A83's design is somewhat odd.
The earpieces are transparent plastic so that you can see the internal components, but the left ear is transparent blue and the right ear transparent red.
Both ears have outer panels with ridged, metallic surfaces.
The shape and size of the earpieces is somewhere between standard smaller in-ears and larger custom-molded options, but the styling seems to mimic the latter.
The in-ear fit is secure, and can be made more so by using the included Comply foam eartips.
Internally, each earpiece employs a unique array of a 10mm dynamic driver and dual balanced armature drivers working together to deliver what Fidue claims is a frequency response of 9Hz to 31kHz.
The earphones also feature a notably low impedance of 11 ohms, which means they can get much louder than a typical pair (and they do).
The included detachable cable is thick and braided, with a semi-rigid, moldable section that connects to each earpiece for pressing up and over the ear to increase stability.
The cable lacks an inline remote control, however, and there's no microphone, either.
It's not uncommon for earphones in this price range to ship with multiple cables, and to include one with an inline remote.
It would seem that Fidue intends for these earphones to be used with mobile devices, but there are no included controls to make that an easy process.
The earphones ship with a solid array of accessories aside from the lack of an extra cable, however.
There's a quarter inch headphone jack adapter, an airplane jack adapter, and seven pairs of eartips—two Comply foam pairs, three standard silicone dome-shaped pairs, and two silicone flange-style pairs, in various sizes.
You also get a snap-shut hard shell case in the style we often see ship with pro-level custom in-ear monitors.
Performance
On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the earphones deliver solid bass response with excellent high-mid and high frequency clarity to balance it out.
At top, unsafe listening levels, the audio doesn't distort, and at more reasonable, but still high, volume levels, the audio is delivered with solid bass depth and a clear focus on the mids and highs.
If you're seeking a heavily bass-boosted pair, these are not the earphones for you—the bass here is accurate, and the highs are pronounced.
See How We Test Headphones
Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the A83's overall sound signature.
The tape hiss on this track is always noticeable, but through the A83 it lunges forward in the mix.
The acoustic guitar strums and Callahan's baritone vocals are also notably bright and crisp—the level of clarity is nice, but there is more treble being added to the equation than necessary.
There's added sibilance on the vocals as well.
The bass response is at least substantial enough to balance this out, but at times, the drivers seem too bright.
This isn't to say the sound signature isn't pleasant and more or less balanced—the drums sound full and round, and the highs lend contour to the mix—but at $350, we are going to nitpick.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop's attack gets plenty of high-mid presence, accentuating its punchiness and allowing it to cut through the mix.
The vinyl crackle that's typically relegated to background status is front and center here.
The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with accurate depth—we get a sense of the ominous sub-bass lows, but they don't overwhelm the mix.
The vocals are bright and clear, though too sibilant at times.
Essentially, we have a crisp, shimmering mix with a rich bass anchor to balance things out.
On orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, the balance is ideal.
The lower register instrumentation is rich and not too heavily boosted, and the higher register brass, strings, and vocals are crisp without seeming too bright.
Relistening to all of the testing tracks using the Comply foam eartips instead of the default silicone tips makes a substantial difference in overall bass response, thanks to a better in-ear seal.
The highs also seem to be tamped down slightly from their sometimes excessively bright state.
So if you're intrigued by the A83, know that the Comply tips can add a little depth.
Conclusions
Fidue's A83 earphones are a great in-canal earphone pair—their triple driver audio is highly detailed and robust in the lows.
While the sound signature feels a little bright, the Comply tips can help the mix sound a little fuller and less extreme.
That said, there are some very strong options to consider when you get to this price range, many of which have a more polished physical appearance as well as a sound signature that's more widely pleasing.
The Etymotic ER4 XR and the Westone W10 are excellent alternatives.
If you're looking to spend a bit less, Bowers & Wilkins' C5 Series 2 deliver excellent performance for the price.
Pros
Multiple drivers deliver a shimmering, rich audio experience with an emphasis on high-frequency clarity.
Detachable cable.
Hard shell protective travel case.
The Bottom Line
The Fidue A83 earphones deliver rich bass depth and crystalline highs, with perhaps more brightness than necessary, though overall performance is excellent.
Believe it or not, Fidue's $349 wired in-canal A83 earphones are actually the least expensive in its lineup, which features in-ears that clock in at just under $900.
Even at $350 we expect excellence, and the triple-driver A83 earphones deliver a fantastic audio experience.
The highs are perhaps too bright for some, but this is a full, balanced sound signature overall.
For the same price, however, the Etymotic ER4 XR will appeal to a wider range of audio preferences, and remain our Editors' Choice.
Design
Visually, the A83's design is somewhat odd.
The earpieces are transparent plastic so that you can see the internal components, but the left ear is transparent blue and the right ear transparent red.
Both ears have outer panels with ridged, metallic surfaces.
The shape and size of the earpieces is somewhere between standard smaller in-ears and larger custom-molded options, but the styling seems to mimic the latter.
The in-ear fit is secure, and can be made more so by using the included Comply foam eartips.
Internally, each earpiece employs a unique array of a 10mm dynamic driver and dual balanced armature drivers working together to deliver what Fidue claims is a frequency response of 9Hz to 31kHz.
The earphones also feature a notably low impedance of 11 ohms, which means they can get much louder than a typical pair (and they do).
The included detachable cable is thick and braided, with a semi-rigid, moldable section that connects to each earpiece for pressing up and over the ear to increase stability.
The cable lacks an inline remote control, however, and there's no microphone, either.
It's not uncommon for earphones in this price range to ship with multiple cables, and to include one with an inline remote.
It would seem that Fidue intends for these earphones to be used with mobile devices, but there are no included controls to make that an easy process.
The earphones ship with a solid array of accessories aside from the lack of an extra cable, however.
There's a quarter inch headphone jack adapter, an airplane jack adapter, and seven pairs of eartips—two Comply foam pairs, three standard silicone dome-shaped pairs, and two silicone flange-style pairs, in various sizes.
You also get a snap-shut hard shell case in the style we often see ship with pro-level custom in-ear monitors.
Performance
On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the earphones deliver solid bass response with excellent high-mid and high frequency clarity to balance it out.
At top, unsafe listening levels, the audio doesn't distort, and at more reasonable, but still high, volume levels, the audio is delivered with solid bass depth and a clear focus on the mids and highs.
If you're seeking a heavily bass-boosted pair, these are not the earphones for you—the bass here is accurate, and the highs are pronounced.
See How We Test Headphones
Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the A83's overall sound signature.
The tape hiss on this track is always noticeable, but through the A83 it lunges forward in the mix.
The acoustic guitar strums and Callahan's baritone vocals are also notably bright and crisp—the level of clarity is nice, but there is more treble being added to the equation than necessary.
There's added sibilance on the vocals as well.
The bass response is at least substantial enough to balance this out, but at times, the drivers seem too bright.
This isn't to say the sound signature isn't pleasant and more or less balanced—the drums sound full and round, and the highs lend contour to the mix—but at $350, we are going to nitpick.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop's attack gets plenty of high-mid presence, accentuating its punchiness and allowing it to cut through the mix.
The vinyl crackle that's typically relegated to background status is front and center here.
The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with accurate depth—we get a sense of the ominous sub-bass lows, but they don't overwhelm the mix.
The vocals are bright and clear, though too sibilant at times.
Essentially, we have a crisp, shimmering mix with a rich bass anchor to balance things out.
On orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, the balance is ideal.
The lower register instrumentation is rich and not too heavily boosted, and the higher register brass, strings, and vocals are crisp without seeming too bright.
Relistening to all of the testing tracks using the Comply foam eartips instead of the default silicone tips makes a substantial difference in overall bass response, thanks to a better in-ear seal.
The highs also seem to be tamped down slightly from their sometimes excessively bright state.
So if you're intrigued by the A83, know that the Comply tips can add a little depth.
Conclusions
Fidue's A83 earphones are a great in-canal earphone pair—their triple driver audio is highly detailed and robust in the lows.
While the sound signature feels a little bright, the Comply tips can help the mix sound a little fuller and less extreme.
That said, there are some very strong options to consider when you get to this price range, many of which have a more polished physical appearance as well as a sound signature that's more widely pleasing.
The Etymotic ER4 XR and the Westone W10 are excellent alternatives.
If you're looking to spend a bit less, Bowers & Wilkins' C5 Series 2 deliver excellent performance for the price.
Pros
Multiple drivers deliver a shimmering, rich audio experience with an emphasis on high-frequency clarity.
Detachable cable.
Hard shell protective travel case.
The Bottom Line
The Fidue A83 earphones deliver rich bass depth and crystalline highs, with perhaps more brightness than necessary, though overall performance is excellent.
