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I was looking forward to getting the FiiO FT1s in for review as soon as I saw them, before I read all the glowing reviews about that extended, textured bass that beats headphones several times their cost. Because visually I think the FT1s look amazing. They skirt a fine line between a sepia-toned 1970s daydream, and a teenager’s vision of what old-school sophistication looks like, and I absolutely love it.
Turns out, they also sound incredible, and all the hype is still relevant a year and a half after their August 2024 release.
Specs
Driver: 60mm dynamic
Cables: 1.5 meter; 1x 3.5mm and 1x 4.4mm balanced, both with dual 3.5mm connection Impedance: 32Ω
Sensitivity: 98dB/mW
Frequency response: 10Hz to 40kHz
Weight: 340g
Wood: Walnut (dark) or beech (light)
In this review I’m going to be explaining why the FiiO FT1s are my top pick of the best budget audiophile closed-back headphones (and would be for mid-priced headphones too). Read it if you want, or just go buy a pair instead, and start enjoying them as soon as possible.
Sound profile
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Overall, the FT1s have a fun, exciting sound profile built around a well extended bass that both rumbles and packs a punch. But great headphones are not built on bass alone. Without competent mids and well balanced high frequencies they can sound like soup being pushed through pipes. And that’s not how the FT1s sound…
Bass: Pretty much all commercial headphones have loads of bass, so what’s so special about the FT1s? It’s all about the quality of the bass. Textured, detailed upper bass combined with rumbling lower bass that feels like it’s moving you is rare at the best of times, and often not executed well with closed-backs, as the covering reflects sound waves that can muddy-up the sound, producing undefined bass that sounds like its played in a tunnel.
Good bass – FT1’s bass – sounds clearer, and you can hear the textured pluck of the bass string. It also tries to stand individually amongst the bigger picture of frequencies, instead of acting as a blanket that covers everything. The FT1 bass has both an extended sub bass that you feel and a mid and upper bass that sounds detailed. It doesn’t leak into the mids too much, so male vocals aren’t drowned out, and lower mids stand out in the mix.
How is this possible? It’s thanks to the rather large 60mm driver and solid wood ear cups. The driver pushes a mass of air at your ears, and the wood absorbs and breaks up the sound waves so there is minimal echo. The high-density walnut and beech doesn’t vibrate along with the driver, so the bass stays tight rather than getting fuzzy and muddy, as will often happen with plastic cups. End result: awesome bass.
The lower mids are definitely warmed by that big-ass bass, but the transition from bass to mids is done really well. There’s definitely detail to be had in the mids in male vocals, cellos and guitars, but this is not the HD600 profile where vocals are front and centre and super naturalistic. The FT1’s are warmer, smoother. I couldn’t hear (or at least, it wasn’t brought to my attention) all the vocal artefacts that Erykah Badu makes on Other Side of the Game (lip smacks, breathing and tongue clicks), as I can with other cans. That means you do miss a certain vocal detail and intimacy with the FT1s. And yet the vocals, horns and synths all stand their ground against the monumental bass (which is really something on this track, with these headphones).
The treble range is, much like the mids, all about compromise. This is The Bass Show, and FiiO hasn’t gone for a flat-out commercial V-shaped sound where the treble tries to compete with that bass. Instead, the FT1 goes for a combination of clarity and smoothness that is incredibly palatable. I didn’t hear any harsh sibilance, but I also didn’t get the sharp focus that great treble will bring to the party. It’s a polite high end that’s relaxed and happy to play supporting role to the bass and mids.
Comfort & build
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Comfort is a bit of an issue for some FT1 users, and others have reported to get on just fine with the FT1. I’ve personally used the headphone as my main over-ear headphone for around a month, and I found there to be a hot spot that developed right at the top of my head. The padding of the FT1 is pretty thin, and I don’t think it does a fantastic job of distributing or cushioning the weight of the headphone over your head.
However, I like the FT1s so much that I bought a Capra strap from the US-based Capra Audio for $25 (they are sold by third parties in the UK, where I’m based, but I wanted to make sure my money was going to the right person, so forked out for postage too). As soon as I snapped the strap on, it felt like the headphones were floating over my head – complete comfort!
As for the ear pads, much like the FT1 Pros that I reviewed, they are super big, deep and comfy. They have a leatherette outer part, and a different, less heat-capturing material that surrounds your ears. The end result is a soft finish that doesn’t heat up your ears like buns.
The build is a combo of 1970s class and pretty bog standard metal work. The wooden cups are, quite frankly, beautiful, and with the black leatherette and silver metal, it all looks great.
Look closer and the aluminium metal looks a little flimsy and like it could easily bend, even if you get a little heavy handed with taking them off (I’ve seen no reports of this actually happening – that’s just how they look to me). As I said above, there’s something about this combination of old school class and functional, basic design that really hits with me. I love it – FiiO has clearly put a lot of love into this budget headphone, and it warms me to it even more.
There are issues with microphonics (noises when the cable brushes up against clothing), unless I’m wearing a t-shit and not a jumper, and then there’s nothing to report. The cable itself is pretty good quality, and the hard case you get with the headphone is a nice touch.
Price, value, competition
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Away from the sound profile, price, competition and value is where the FiiO FT1 shines the most. You see, there’s no other closed-back at $160 that’s close to it – nothing that competes with its successful sound and its awesome looks.
You have the Meze 99 Classics MII – a headphone that I have, and that I really enjoy. It’s wooden and metal aesthetic is a more chic and polished version of the FT1, and that’s reflected in the sound too – I really like the warm v-shaped profile that it has. It’s extra treble bite and similar upper bass to the FT1 means there’s more detail to be had with it. But it retails at more than twice the price of the FT1 at $349. Unless you really want the look and the specific Meze 99 Classics sound (which I totally get), I’d recommend the more laidback FT1 and treat yourself to a Capra strap, and still save yourself $200.
Actually in the sub-$200 price, there’s the closed-back Beyerdynamic 770 Pro studio headphones. They cost $179 and although I’ve not tried them, I’m familiar with the infamous Beyerdynamic treble. It’s a lot, and definitely too much for me, but if you’re immune to massive, piercing treble spikes, then it might be worth checking out. For me, it’s not even close. The FT1 brings a smile to my face, and there’s enough detail in the mids that I don’t concentrate on the brain cells I’m losing with all that lovely bass.
The other comparison worth making is with the Denon AH-D5200s, which were released in late 2018, and which I’ve had for months. Now, these bad boys retail at $800, though you can get them around $600 in the sale – sometimes even as low as $400. I really, really like the Denon AH-D5200s (more than their more expensive siblings the 7200s and 9200s). That’s because while they have similar upper bass to the FT1s, they swap out sub bass for all-together better mids and treble. Vocals are far more intimate and richer, with vocals seeming thinner and recessed on the FT1s in comparison. And with the better tuned treble there’s a bunch more perceived detail that you just don’t get with the FT1s.
The only issue – they cost 5 times more! But if you see them at the $300/$400 mark, the Denon AH-D5200s should be a serious consideration (full review to come).
Should you buy it?
Yes, you should.
If you like bass.
Unless you’re after a neutral-sounding headphone.
But then just buy the FT1s anyway. You’ll thank me later.
