Review: FiiTIi HiFiDots ANC Earbuds

The latest earbuds by FiiTii, HiFiDots is finally available for purchase after 2 years of R&D. On paper, the HiFiDots looks set to offer top quality sound given its structure of a 10mm dynamic driver alongside two balanced armature. With these tech in place, the HiFiDots retails for premium US$199.

Unboxing

Here’s what you’ll find in the box:

• FiiTii HiFiDots ANC Earbuds
• Charging case
• USB-A to USB-C cable
• User manual
• Ear tips – XS, S, M, L

Tech specs

Build quality and features

The FiiTii HiFiDots comes in two colours – (1) black, and (2) green. The unit I have is the black model. Just holding the case, I can already tell that FiiTii intended for the HiFiDots to be its flagship and most premium set of true wireless earbuds to date. The case is made from metal, and the overall curves help to accentuate the elegance of the design. However, the all-metal build makes the case quite hefty, weighing in at 98g. The is certainly a bold choice from FiiTii, prioritising form over function.

The case opens via the push of the button in the middle, revealing the HiFiDots earbuds, which nestle themselves vertically in. Removing the earbuds is a little cumbersome and takes some getting used to. FiiTii even provided a guide to show you the how to remove them from the case efficiently. Yet another form over function design choice.

The earbuds are quite small in footprint even with its accompanied stem. The earbuds have a matte finish and made from plastic. The perimeter of the face of the earbuds is housed with small LED lights that can display some lighting effects if you configure it in the app.

Controls

HiFiDots uses touch controls, which offer the full suite of controls to control playback, switch between ANC and Transparency modes, and answering. You can find a summary of the button controls in the image below:

The companion app, FiiTii, allows you to perform rather limited key assignment because there are only two options to choose from, one usually being the volume control.

FiiTii App

Apart from controls customisation, the FiiTii app adds a custom EQ function so that you can tune the sound profile to your liking. There is even a lighting effect which you can turn on so that it lights up when you are listening to music.

There is also a Fit test to determine if the seal you are getting is optimal.

Lastly, let’s talk about the HiFiDots‘ transparency mode, which I found to be ok in terms of its implementation. It doesn’t feel as open compared to other earbuds, the voice you hear feels more “blocked” but still very much audible. It is a unique take on transparency does not elevate wind noises too much which most transparency mode tend to do.

Fit and comfort

When it comes to fit, FiiTii provided 4 sizes of ear tips. However, I personally found it tricky to get a perfect seal as short nozzle and flat ear tips didn’t work for my ear shape. I found that my spare Comply foam tips and oval-shaped ear tips from Klipsch provided a more reliable fit and seal. This is a matter of ear shape so your experience may differ from me.

Having got a good seal, I found the HiFiDots comfortable to wear. At just 4.2 grams light, I don’t really feel the HiFiDots when I’m wearing them, making it great for extended duration of use. The small size of the HiFiDots means it stays close to my face even with a stem.

Sound quality

The HiFiDots offer a well-balanced sound signature that still remains exciting and fun to listen too. There is cohesive tuning in the bass department as the bass and sub bass complements each other. You still get that deep thump and retain a punch without sounding bloated. Having said that, I wouldn’t classify the HiFiDots bass heavy as it really only extends to the low end when it needs to.

As for mids, they are detailed with a hint of warmth for a smooth delivery of vocals, with female vocals sounding especially crisp and enjoyable, like on ‘Ending Scene by IU’. Treble is sufficiently bright without sounding sibilant. It is a similar story as the bass, well-controlled and only pushes if it’s needed.

ANC performance

Upon toggling through the different sound modes of the HiFiDots, you’ll find that they use the same audio cues as the AirPods Pro to represent which mode it is in. If you’ve used an AirPods Pro before, this would not be foreign. The ANC performance though is not the same as Apple’s AirPods Pro. It is weaker than the AirPods Pro when it comes to eliminating the higher frequency noises. But when it comes to low-end noises like engine rumble and environmental buzz, the HiFiDots does well at removing a bulk of them.

Microphone quality

Microphone of the HiFiDots is average. Vocal reproduction avoids sounding thin but feels distant. Clarity is ok when in a controlled environment. However, once exposed to noise the microphone starts struggling to keep my voice clear and forward, and noise starts to creep in the output. I’d recommend only using the HiFiDots for calls if you’re in a quiet place.

Battery life

The HiFiDots offers up to 6 hours of listening on a single charge, which an expected standard for its size. You will get a total 30 hours with the case. I used the HiFiDots for more than 2 weeks before needing to charge the case. As the case is made from metal, there is no support for wireless charging so you can only charge it wired via USB-C. There is a quick charge feature, whereby charging the HiFiDots for 10 minutes will give you 100 minutes of listening.

Pairing, connectivity, and latency

HiFiDots is equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.3 and the connection to my iPhone was very fast, and it pairs as a single unit. During my time of testing, I did not experience any connection issues. There were also no audio-video sync lag when watching videos from the YouTube app on my iPhone 11. Also, you can use either the left or right earbud if you just want to wear one for usage. HiFiDots also boasts multipoint pairing, meaning you can connect it to up to two devices at once and switch your audio inputs between them. It’s a great feature to have if you often use your earbuds with more than one device at a time.

Conclusion

If you place sound quality as the number one priority and enjoy having a balanced tuning, then the HiFiDots could be up your alley. The price tag at US$199 might be a tall ask given it lacks in quality-of-life features such as portability and lack of wireless charging, though it makes up with the inclusion of multipoint pairing. But you’re in luck if you find the asking price too steep, as you can use the code AL22ZI4N for 20% off your purchase on Amazon!