The FiiO FT1 Pro was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the FiiO FT1 Pro is $199 and you can buy it from here.
FiiO FT1 Pro
The FT3 was FiiO’s first full sized headphone that was soon followed by the FT5. Then came the budget friendly JT1, the affordable FT1 and then its open back version, the FT1 Pro. FiiO has also released the FT7 which is their flagship model.
The FiiO FT1 Pro is an affordable, planar magnetic headphone with an open back design and a detachable cable.
At the heart of the FiiO FT1 Pro there is an oversized 95x86mm custom-developed planar magnetic driver that is among the largest in its class while maintaining a lightweight form factor. The driver of the FT1 Pro utilizes an ultra-thin 1μm PET diaphragm that is enhanced with a proprietary dual coating technique. The first layer is made from aluminum for its conductivity and energy transfer while the second is from sapphire for its stiffness, durability, and acoustic transparency.
FiiO also implements a finely tuned magnetic circuit that maintains a highly uniform magnetic field across the diaphragm. This design ensures consistent motion of the driver, lowers harmonic distortion, and delivers accurate sound reproduction with remarkable control. Last but not least, FiiO employs a semiconductor-level fabrication, the diaphragm receives a 28nm grade surface treatment that optimizes electrical performance and driver reliability.
You can read more about the FiiO FT1 Pro here.
Design and wearing experience
For the FT1 Pro, FiiO decided to use lightweight materials in order to keep the weight as low as possible (374g) to make it suitable for extended listening sessions. The ear-cups are made from high quality plastic with aluminum alloy, perforated faceplates. The single-piece headband attaches to the ear cups with the aid of two high quality steel slides. The attaching mechanism offers 12 steps of precise adjustment and the ear cups swivel in both axes to offer a more personalised fit.
The cushioned headband is wide enough and its inner surface features 6 individual memory foam pads that are covered with breathable suede fabric. The headband sits comfortably at the top of the head without causing hot spots and it does a good job with weight distribution. The clamping force has the right amount of pressure to keep the headphones stable without causing annoyance.
FiiO has learned a few lessons since the release of the FT3 and made sure to equip the FT1 Pro with large and spacious, detachable ear pads that engulf the whole ear without letting it touch the drivers. They are generously padded with memory foam and have a hybrid design with a protein leather outer surface and breathable mesh fabric interior.
The FT1 Pro is a very well made and comfortable headphone but it doesn’t break new ground when it comes to its outer appearance. It has an all black, classic design, however not too dull or old-fashioned.
Cable and accessories
The FT1 Pro features a dual entry cable system with 3.5mm TRS plugs, allowing for easy cable upgrades. However, it is unlikely that you will need to upgrade because the FT1 Pro comes equipped with two high quality, silver-plated copper cables.
These two, 1.5m long, cables are identical looking but they are terminated with 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs respectively. They are well made and reinforced with a durable outer sheathing but they are a little stiff and heavy.
The package also includes a high quality carrying case and a 6.35mm adapter.
Sensitivity and associated gear
FiiO has spent great effort to increase the sensitivity of the FT1 Pro and make it easy to drive, unlike many other planar magnetic headphones. It has a low 20Ω impedance with 112dB/Vrms or 95dB/mW of sensitivity so it is easy to drive. You can use portable sources, like the FiiO KA15, or DAPs like the FiiO JM21 and the M21. The FT1 Pro can be instantly enjoyed with entry level sources but it also scales pretty well so you can trust it with better gear.
Listening impressions
The FT1 Pro is FiiO’s most neutrally tuned headphone thus far, it has excellent tonal balance with resonating lows, present mids and energetic yet not too emphasized treble. This is a tuning that steers away from the overrated Harman target curve and follows a rather linear frequency response without any tonal shifts or much sound coloration. The overall tuning is reminiscent of the Hifiman headphones but the FT1 Pro is somewhat fuller sounding.
The low-end is extended and almost flat up to the lower mid-range without any further boosting. This is a headphone that offers reference tonal precision and fidelity making it ideal for critical listening. You can listen to the most demanding symphonic works and not miss a single note while every low pitched instrument is reproduced with astonishing tonal accuracy.
This doesn’t mean though that the FT1 Pro is lacking in fun factor and enjoyment when listening to modern tunes, but the truth is that is not going to satisfy people who prefer emphasized bass response or follow the Hartman target cult. The FT1 Pro is the perfect headphone for anyone who likes clean and articulated bass without it bleeding into the mid-range or suffering from masking effects.
More listening impressions
The technical performance is excellent for the category, the bass is fast, tight and very disciplined with satisfying resolution that goes beyond its price range. The textures are not that visceral and weighty but you can’t call them dry or thin either. The bass is not too elastic or full bodied but it has a superior planar layering and complete absence of cup reverbs and echoing artifacts.
FiiO’s large planar driver can easily follow the widest dynamic changes and hit hard when needed to. It can’t match some large dynamic drivers when it comes to raw physical impact but the gap is very narrow. The performance is much improved over the previous generation planar drivers that suffered in this area and couldn’t offer a realistic dynamic behavior.
The mid-range is also nearly flat and much differently tuned than the trend that demands emphasized or recessed mids according to the overall tuning concept of the headphone. The FT1 Pro follows the opposite route where the mids are faithfully reproduced as the mixing dictates without any intervention from the headphone itself. You are not going to sympathize with the FT1 Pro if you like mid-range prominence but only if you are after transparency and fidelity.
Neutral tuned might be, but the FT1 Pro has all the skills to capture the harmonic variety and the colorful richness of the music and then reproduce it with a natural and organic timbre. The FT1 Pro is far from sounding clinical or sterile, it has a touch of warmth while it always manages to connect with the listener and sound engaging with all kinds of tunes.
And some more
The highs are sparkling and luminous but not overly bright. There is a certain Hifiman-like emphasis on the lower treble, which is airy and crispy, but you can’t call it sharp or piercing. The upper treble is less aggressively tuned and the FT1 Pro seems to strike the perfect balance between sounding energetic and controlled at the same time. Still, this is a mildly bright headphone that might sound a bit fatiguing for some users with certain tracks.
The treble is also the part where we can spot some performance limitations in direct comparison with higher-tier headphones. There is a hint of metallic sheen, a subtle artificiality that can’t be concealed and a certain lack of refinement. However, the FT1 Pro holds very well against the same category competition, actually surpassing most of it when it comes to detail retrieval, all while not sounding analytical.
The FiiO FT1 Pro is an open sounding headphone with a wide and spacious soundstage. It doesn’t really excel in depth but it does very well with imaging precision and placement in the horizontal axis. It is also a skilful communicator of the scale of the music and the surrounding ambience. Actually the FT1 Pro does a much better job in projecting a realistic soundscape than many well known (and more expensive) headphones like the Sennheiser HD650.
Against the competition
There is some tough competition at this price range with very well known headphones, like the Sennheiser HD560S and HD550, the HIFIMAN HE400se or the Sivga Anser but the FiiO FT1 Pro can easily hold its own.
From a tuning point of view which is pretty subjective, there is no right or wrong, as an example some people are going to like the more energetic tuning of the FT1 Pro while others will prefer that of the Sennheiser HD550 that is equally neutrally tuned but less bright.
From a technical point of view and when it comes to the actual quality characteristics of the sound, the FT1 Pro sits at the top of the range and can only be compared with the top contenders, like Sennheiser HD550, while easily outperforming some others, like the Hifiman HE400SE or the Sennheiser HD560S.
Last but not least, the FT1 Pro is exceptionally well made and much better equipped than most of the competitive headphones, far surpassing them in overall value.
In the end
Color me impressed, the FiiO FT1 Pro is one of the best headphones that I have tested lately and not only in its respective category. It has a great neutral tuning that parts away from the beaten track and packs some excellent technical performance too. It is also well made, comfortable and lightweight, generously accessorized and very affordable. What else to ask?
The FiiO FT1 Pro is an excellent option for anyone looking for a high quality planar magnetic headphone with a reference neutral tuning without having to invest much money. A real winner and maybe FiiO’s best headphone up to date when we count the actual price to performance ratio. Well done.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ Neutral and balanced tuning
+ Excellent bass technicalities
+ Natural and expressive timbre
+ Mid-range transparency
+ Sparkling but not too bright treble
+ Good balance of texture weight and definition
+ Very good resolution for the category
+ Easy to drive
+ Lightweight and very comfortable
+ Very well made with a smoothly adjusting height mechanism
+ Two high quality cables and a carrying case
+ Very affordable with excellent price to performance ratio
- Can be outperformed in raw bass impact
- Not the most refined textures
- Some traces of metallic sheen and treble artificiality
- The cables are a little stiff and heavy
- Rather boring appearance
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