My favorite quirky hi-res audio company just released ultra-cheap over-ear headphones and I can’t understand how FiiO kept the price so low

FiiO unveils EH13 over-ear headphones
40mm drivers, LDAC compatible, ANC and 75 hour battery
All that for $49 / £49 (approx AU$100)

Audiophiles will know the name FiiO; between the M27 digital audio player or the KA15 DAC amplifier, it’s loved by audiophiles looking for portable hi-fi kit (the company also makes non-portable kit, but that’s not relevant to this story).

The company’s devices generally fall into the category of ‘reasonable’ rather than ‘cheap’ head-fi, but every rule has an exception, and the new FiiO EH13 is today’s exception. These wireless headphones cost just $49 / £49 (about AU$100), so the brand makes a surprise play for the top spot on our best cheap headphones list.

Now FiiO is no stranger to headphones – we gave five stars to its FT5 planar magnetic cans two years ago and four to its FT13 last year – but these models were clearly aimed at audiophiles and cost about ten times as much as the EH13. At the $49 (or equivalent) mark, the new EH13 is clearly targeted at the average money-savvy consumer.

We didn’t start FiiO…

Two models of the FiiO EH13 on a navy blue background.

(Image credit: FiiO)

Like pretty much every pair of wireless headphones at this price, the FiiO EH13 have 40mm dynamic drivers, and while it’s hard to gauge from the spec list how they’ll sound, the company takes pride in retaining its acclaimed nod from audiophiles. However, mention of a “sapphire-coated composite membrane” sounds rather bougie, especially at this price.

Thanks to Bluetooth 6.0, you get support for LDAC transmission (as well as AAC and SBC) and the brand’s EQ control app to customize your sound.

You get a battery life of 75 hours, which drops to 45 hours if you turn on ANC. That’s right, a FiiO product with noise reduction!

The EH13 offers a 3.5mm jack with a signal processor designed to keep the sound consistent no matter how you listen. And there are other connection tools, such as multipoint pairing.

I don’t particularly associate FiiO with entry-level tech, so quite curious to discover how the EH13 sounds. But judging by what the brand has shared so far, they could be a great entry-level piece of FiiO technology before you find yourself buying a new M33 R2R and sliding further and further down the slippery slope…