Fiio SP3 review: These powered speakers pack a sizeable punch

Fiio switched its focus to the desktop segment 18 months ago, and it led to a wave of products that unlocked new use cases while still retaining the brand's value-driven ethos. One product I was keen on looking at was the SP3, so when the audio manufacturer introduced the active speakers back in May 2023, I immediately had to take a look.

The SP3 is available for just $299 on Amazon, and that makes it an enticing choice if you want powered speakers to use in a desktop setting. As is the case with most of its products, Fiio bundles a decent number of accessories in the box, including a 3.5mm to RCA cable, and two sets of rubber pads — a standard set and one with a 7-degree elevation.

Unboxing the SP3, my initial thought was that the speakers look smaller than I imagined them to be. With a volume of just 2.35 liters, they don't take up much room at all, and if you have limited space on your desk, the SP3 may just be a great choice. I paired the active speakers with the outstanding R7 all-in-one streamer, and it's clear that these two products were designed together.

The SP3 cabinet is machined out of metal, and it has outstanding build quality; while the size is on the smaller size, each speaker unit is considerably heavy, with a total weight of 7.4lb (3.4kg). The SP3 has a grooved design that looks good, and it looks much more upmarket than its price tag would suggest.

Of course, the fact that there's RGB lighting at the bottom means the SP3 ticks all the right boxes in my book; the lighting is subtle and doesn't distract from the design, but I like it just the same. I used the SP3 with the elevated rubber pads, and that gave the unit slightly better presence.

On that note, if you like the look of the SP3 and are considering buying the speakers, I'd suggest getting the white model. Fiio sent the regular black version of the SP3 and R7 for review, and while they both look good, they definitely do not stand out anywhere as much as the white models.

The right side of the SP3 houses all the controls and connectors, with the left acting as just a speaker. While Fiio usually does a great job with connectivity, the SP3 doesn't get all that much in terms of ports: you get a 3.5mm in and line in, and that's about it. There's no optical connectivity, and the speaker misses out on Bluetooth connectivity. There's no remote either, so you'll need to use the volume and bass dials at the back of the unit to change volume and adjust bass.

Another omission is the lack of a subwoofer out. While the SP3 produces great sound in its own right, it's clear that the ability to connect to a subwoofer would have made the speakers that much more inviting. As it stands, the speakers produce 80W of power in total: there are two 3.5-inch subwoofer units that put out 30W each, and there's a 1-inch silk dome tweeter on each unit that goes up to 10W.

Fiio says it is using a double-diffused porting tube to maximize the sound potential of the SP3, and that is indeed the case. I was pleasantly astonished by the sound coming out of the SP3, and while the speaker has a diminutive stature, it is able to produce room-filling sound with relative ease.

A big part of that is the use of the 3.5-inch subwoofer; Fiio says it went with a carbon composite material to save weight while offering a rigid structure, and combined with the 1-inch dome tweeter, you get a detailed sound with no distortion even at high volume.

Coming to the sound, the bass is limited because of the inherent size of the speakers, but you get a clean articulation, and some vibrancy. Of course, having a dedicated subwoofer would have made all the difference, but in its own right, the SP3 is decent enough considering its size.

The mid-range is where the SP3 comes into its own, delivering a clean sound with plenty of clarity and definition. You get full-bodied vocals that sound terrific, and they definitely punch above their segment in this area. The treble is energetic and airy, and you get a balanced sound without any harshness whatsoever — Fiio nailed the tuning in this regard.

Obviously, there are a lot of great choices if you're looking to get powered speakers in this category, and most products have Bluetooth connectivity and digital ports as standard. While the Fiio is in the backfoot when it comes to connectivity, the sound quality ultimately redeems the SP3; you just don't get such a refined sound in this segment.

So if you want a pair of powered speakers that don't take up too much room and deliver a powerful sound that belies their size, the SP3 may just be the ideal choice for your use case.