Fiio FT1 Review

Fiio has a couple of solid over-ear headphone selections now and now adds another with the FT1. I’ve been impressed with their open-back models, and now they have a wooden closed-back headphones that look very promising. Let’s take a closer look at the FT1’s design, sound quality, and overall performance to see if these headphones live up to their promise of delivering rich, balanced audio across genres.

What You Get

1. FT1
2. Storage bag
3. packaging box
4. 3.5mm headphone cable
5. 4.4mm balanced cable
6. 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter
7. Quick start guide

Look & Feel

The FT1 is a closed-back headphone with wooden ear cups made from American black walnut. It has an incredibly smooth surface and brings an elegant aesthetic the this design. Attached to these wood ear cups are big suede leather ear pads that encase your head comfortably supported by a durable lightweight build. There’s no clamping feeling, as the headphones feel snug and secure.

Design

The FT1 has a 60mm dynamic driver with a Nanowood Fiber composite diaphragm. It’s a lightweight diaphragm with carbon fiber aiming to enhance vocals. It also uses a U-shaped sound-dampening tube that enhances dynamics, bass response, and noise attenuation. The FT1 comes with two cables that are 3.5mm and 4.4mm. They use oxygen-free copper-plated silver wire with a fabric sleeve.

Soundstage

I’ve appreciated what Fiio headphones can do in the soundstage, and the FT1 is similarly impressive. While the overall scale of the sound feels shrunken down a bit, the technical aspects of the soundstage stick out considerably. The overall width of the headspace shows a clear barrier, but everything within that barrier has organization and spatial accuracy. You get clear separation between each sound highlighting more than enough blank space in between that discern the FT1’s layering abilities quite well. Instruments and effects are naturally stacked on each other with localized positioning across the stereo field. It might not feel exact with its floaty presentation, but each channel has more than enough balance to showcase each sound with a general spatial identity. The immersion factor is strong, even with its limitations.

Low End

The bass doesn’t have the most dominant tone, but the presence of the lows is still very clear and concise. It has a tasteful impact that appears natural in the mix, well balanced with the rest of the sound signature. You can feel it crawl deep into the sub-bass even if the rumble is a bit soft and subtle. The grooves are there though, and they’re very smooth and enjoyable to listen to with electronic and hip-hop tracks.

Mids

While I don’t feel the mids are completely recessed, they show slight dips affecting some of their properties. I generally enjoy the surface texture of the sound, but you get the sense that they’re a little underpowered. This can be summed up as a more relaxed response, but compared to the quickness of the lows, the mids lack some finesse. This results in notes with a lack of weight behind them, even if the timbre still has flavor. Vocals are still resolving, especially female ones that highlight the FT1’s upper-midrange detail.

Highs

The highs have a good character to them, satisfying listeners with a detailed response that’s easy to digest. You get some nice height to the sound signature that is helped by the extended treble response filling out instruments with clear details. It’s a clean resolution that feels very controlled and even. There’s a slight heat to them that is immediately tamed and only highlights the colorful elements like sparkle. While I don’t find the timbre to have much sizzle or crispness, the highs provide all the detail necessary for this kind of headphone.

Summary

The Fiio FT1 brings a sophisticated listening experience with its refined design and well-rounded sound profile. From the warm elegance of its American walnut ear cups to the balanced clarity across the bass, mids, and highs, the FT1 is tailored for those who value both aesthetics and audio precision. While it may lack a bit of punch in the mids, its soundstage, immersive depth, and subtle yet effective bass response make it a standout choice among closed-back headphones. Whether you’re an audiophile seeking natural soundscapes or someone looking for headphones that complement a refined taste, the FT1 delivers on multiple fronts, making it a worthy addition to any audio setup.

The Fiio FT1 is available at Audio46.