FiiO is a giant in the world of IEMs, but a relative newbie in the world of headphones. We reviewed the FT3 a few months ago (remember that Beryllium-plated 60mm driver?), finding it very agreeable, if a bit confusing aesthetically. It looked like a gamer headphones but came in a premium audiophile package. It was precise, but a bit unexciting.
The FiiO FT1 is a closed-back headphone with a dynamic driver design. Priced at $150, it features a 60mm proprietary dynamic driver with a nanowood fiber composite diaphragm with a frequency response of 10Hz to 40kHz. They have an impedance of 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 98dB/mW at 1kHz, or 113dB/Vrms at 1kHz.
The FT1 left a different impression on us. It feels like the brand actually listened to what we had to say and implemented everything we wanted. Is it a home run? Let’s take a closer look.
Design
First, let’s take a closer look at the FT1. Gorgeous, isn’t it? Gone is the aggressive metal body, replaced by wooden cups made of American black walnut. Now this is premium. Not everyone likes this approach but personally I couldn’t be happier. Honestly, I couldn’t believe FiiO designed this — they usually go for a more industrial look.
The build quality is excellent like always. There are no creaks, every movement is smooth. According to Fiio, the FT1’s diaphragm, consisting mainly of paper spruce wood fibers, enhances both clarity and natural tonal performance. Fancy. The FT1 headband uses ball-bearing slides to improve its durability and offers 12 adjustable notches to fit various head sizes. The section in contact with the head is lined with soft suede leather, ensuring a comfortable wearing experience.
As you can tell, FiiO is serious when it comes to their product’s looks and build quality. The unboxing experience is similarly pleasant; once again, we get a travel case “crafted with the same materials and techniques used by top French brands.” Uhm, okay, I guess. This time it’s not leather as was in the case of FT3, so, a bit cheaper. But honestly, I couldn’t care less: the copper-colored case might feel a bit less exciting (on the inside, too), but it does the job about as well. It’s nice that it’s here — along with some cables, too, including two cables (3.5 mm and 4.4 mm). There’s also a 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter.
Read also: FiiO FT3 32 Ω Review: Flagship Headphones That Won’t Break the Bank
Sound
The FT1 is extremely comfortable to use. Even though it has much better sound isolation (both coming in and out), it’s still more of a relax-at-home kind of model for me — but that’s subjective. So is the sound, but I’ll try to be as neutral as possible.
I tried this model with the FiiO K11R2R and the BTR13. But really, pretty much anything will drive these.
Despite it being the cheaper (and smaller) model, I immediately prefer it to the FT3. It’s not only about the looks: the sound signature is just much more up my alley: punchier mids, warmer, more energetic sound overall. These pair better with the varied genres I like listening to, from rock to downtempo and acoustic. They can take on anything, coming on top every time. Technically they aren’t as capable as the FT3, but in my subjective view, they are just more pleasant to listen to for long periods of time.
This is still not the headphones for bassheads, but it has the power to pull off just about anything you can throw at it.
Read also: FiiO K11 R2R review: Somehow, It’s Even Better Now
Verdict
Choosing new headphones is very stressful because we are so spoilt for choice. I am happy to report that there’s yet another brand you have to “worry” about now. FiiO is getting better and better at this, and the FT1 is one of the best headphones they’ve made to date. Is it the one for you? Hard to say, but one thing is certain: for this price, it’s hard to beat.