FiiO is always a name that pops up when people talk about digital audio convertors (DACs) and amplifiers. They’ve produced a number of models that are great for portability and studio use. However, their expertise isn’t limited to just one type of component; they have been known to meddle in the world of headphones as well. FiiO has recently released the FT1 closed-back headphone, and it’s taken the audio world by storm as a must-have. Today, I’ll be looking over all the finer details and giving a review of this new product.
What Comes In The Box
- FT1 Headphones
- Storage Bag
- Packaging Box
- 3.5mm Headphone Cable
- 4.4mm Balanced Cable
- Quick Start Guide
Aesthetics and Functionality
FiiO has switched it up with the look of these headphones. With their DAC/Amplifiers, they tend to have a futuristic look that is sleek and fits into any style. The FT1 headphones take on a more classic look, one that has a black walnut finish to give them a homey vibe. The black leather earcups and headband are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The fit of the headphones is also fairly comfortable, and the large ear cups fit nicely over the ears. I found that they were even a bit too big on my head on the smallest setting, so getting a good ear seal was a bit hard. Still, it didn’t stop me from listening for many hours.
The FT1 headphones come with two cable types, one with a 3.5mm termination and another with a 4.4mm termination. At a 320 Ω impedance, you’ll definitely need an amplifier to get these at their full quality sound. What better amplifier to use than something from FiiO? I used the portable KA17 connected to my computer, and I got very good power through the headphones to begin listening.
Tech Specs
- Headphone type: Closed-back dynamic headphones
- Frequency response: 10Hz – 40kHz
- Driver: 60mm dynamic
- Impedance: 320 Ω
- Sensitivity: 98 dB/mW @ 1kHz, 113 dB/Vrms @ 1kHz
- Cable material: Silver-plated oxygen-free copper
- Earpad pressure: 4.5N ± 0.3N
- Cable length: About 1.5m
- Weight: 340g (excluding cable)
- Headphone connector: Dual 3.5mm TRS
- Audio cable plug: 3.5mm/4.4mm
- Ear cup material: Black walnut
Listening Review
Soundstage
The soundstage on the FT1 headphones is fairly wide, coming in with a very congealed sound in the frequencies that makes the field seem narrower than it actually is. Frequencies blend together to create a fairly uniform sound, but the dynamics across the range is still there and makes listening entertaining. The imaging accuracy isn’t as detailed, so music producers or mixers may not like these as a reference pair of cans for their projects. You can hear upon an initial listen that the signature leans bass-heavy, so people who are a fan of a powerful low end are in for a treat.
Low Frequencies
As previously mentioned, the low end is the most prominent part of this signature. The low end is very thick and has a lot of body, making pop genres have an extra oomph and drive to them. Some genres seemed to lay on the bass a bit too thick, losing the clarity and making the range sound a bit muddy. When listening to bass heavy tracks like “Pop Muzik” by M and Robin Scott, I appreciated the thumping low synths that drove the melody forward and became the highlight of the whole track. Bass guitars in rock songs were particularly thick and gave rock songs a lot more body.
Mid-Range Frequencies
The mid-range is nicely detailed. There’s some good clarity and excellent vocal / instrumental sound reproduction that brings tracks alive. I would say the layers are definitely blending together, which is great for a more centered and together sounding piece. It doesn’t sound like it’s completely separate or as if everything is isolated. I like that the timbre of everything blends together to create a cohesive sound. It makes tracks sound professional in that way. I heard this particularly in “The Villian I Appear To Be” by Connor Spiotto and Molly Pease, where the extensive instrumentation was all heard clearly and vibrantly throughout the track.
High Frequencies
Despite the muddiness that comes in with the low end, I find that the high end had a lot of great detail and clarity that made everything balance out. Pop vocals and hi hats were crisp and light, making tracks come alive and gave a welcome break to the powerful bass. I was listening to “Super Trouper” by ABBA and I was impressed by how all the vocals and glittery music production was crisp and clean throughout the song.
Summary
To conclude, the FiiO FT1 is a pretty great headphone to be retailed under $200. It definitely is tailored for the bass-lover in mind, opting for comfort and sound isolation to immerse you in your listening. The sound profile comes with a good amount of clarity, and I could see people using these as a casual listening headphone as well as a working headphone for some projects that will be worked on on-the-go. Stacked against the competition in the same price range, these are a great deal and you should get your hands on them while you can.
The FiiO FT1 is available now at Audio46.
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