Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs FiiO FH3

Short answer: the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro. It ranks #355 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $109; the FiiO FH3 ranks #367, rated 3.3/5, and costs $119.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.

What the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro does well: Oratory1990’s measurement shows bass 1.0 dB and low mids 1.4 dB above target, a gentle warmth that suits relaxed listening, and the preference score of 67 is acceptable. The tradeoff: Presence is 4.5 dB under target across 3 to 6 kHz, with a 6.4 dB dip near 3.1 kHz, so vocals and guitars sound recessed and detail is dulled.

The case for the FiiO FH3: Bass and sub-bass sit within about 1 dB above the Harman target, giving kick drums and bass guitar a full, warm foundation without bloat. Watch for: The 3 to 6 kHz presence region sits about 5.7 dB below target, with a dip of 7.4 dB near 6.5 kHz, so vocals and cymbals lose bite and detail.

Buy the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro. It is rated higher for sound quality than the FiiO FH3 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.

Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

Related Headphone Comparisons

How Sennheiser IE 40 Pro compares with other leading options:

• KZ PR1 vs Sennheiser IE 40 Pro
• Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs iBasso IT01S
• Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs Shure SE215
• FiiO FH3 vs Shure SE215
• Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 vs FiiO FH3

Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.

The Two Headphones In Full

Sennheiser IE 40 Pro: $109.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: Oratory1990’s measurement shows bass 1.0 dB and low mids 1.4 dB above target, a gentle warmth that suits relaxed listening, and the preference score of 67 is acceptable. A 20 ohm impedance and 115 dB SPL/V sensitivity mean a phone drives it with ease, which suits monitoring and portable use. The balance leans toward warm and V-shaped tastes.

Cons: Presence is 4.5 dB under target across 3 to 6 kHz, with a 6.4 dB dip near 3.1 kHz, so vocals and guitars sound recessed and detail is dulled. Sub-bass is 3.6 dB light, so deep rumble is absent. Then the top end swings the opposite way, with a peak of 8.3 dB at 11.9 kHz and air 5.7 dB over target, which can add a brittle sheen. Tonal balance is clearly uneven, with a deviation of 2.94 dB.

Full Sennheiser IE 40 Pro review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.94 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 10mm dynamic
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	20Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	20 ohms
Sensitivity	115 dB SPL/V
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.1 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.03 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -5.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+5.6 dB	0.70
Peak	2,997 Hz	+5.7 dB	1.48
Peak	75 Hz	-4.1 dB	0.38
Peak	1,267 Hz	-0.8 dB	2.09
Peak	261 Hz	-1.1 dB	1.70
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-3.7 dB	0.70
Peak	9,787 Hz	-3.3 dB	1.71
Peak	4,341 Hz	+1.1 dB	3.77
Peak	6,644 Hz	+2.1 dB	5.97
Peak	7,958 Hz	-1.2 dB	5.41

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs KZ PR1
  • Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs iBasso IT01S
  • Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs Shure SE215

FiiO FH3: $119.99 Amazon AliExpress eBay

Pros: Bass and sub-bass sit within about 1 dB above the Harman target, giving kick drums and bass guitar a full, warm foundation without bloat. The hybrid design pairs a 10mm dynamic driver with two balanced armatures, and 114 dB/mW sensitivity at 24 ohms means a phone runs it easily. A preference score of 65 suits listeners who like a warm, bassy tilt.

Cons: The 3 to 6 kHz presence region sits about 5.7 dB below target, with a dip of 7.4 dB near 6.5 kHz, so vocals and cymbals lose bite and detail. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is also about 2.2 dB low, which makes the sound dark and a little veiled. The KZ PR1 has a higher rating.

Full FiiO FH3 review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.59 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armature)
Drivers	1 x 10mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	65 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	24 ohms
Sensitivity	114 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.1 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-0.86 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0 lbs (7.3 g) per earbud

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -4.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	-4.0 dB	0.70
Peak	4,061 Hz	+4.3 dB	1.02
Peak	178 Hz	-2.5 dB	1.19
Peak	1,183 Hz	-3.9 dB	2.64
Peak	60 Hz	+2.7 dB	0.83
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-0.6 dB	0.70
Peak	545 Hz	+1.1 dB	2.57
Peak	2,365 Hz	-2.4 dB	4.99
Peak	6,488 Hz	+2.3 dB	6.00
Peak	2,972 Hz	+1.8 dB	5.25

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the FiiO FH3 (HypetheSonics measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • FiiO FH3 vs iBasso IT01S
  • FiiO FH3 vs Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
  • FiiO FH3 vs Shure SE215
  • FiiO FH3 vs Jabra Elite Active 65t