Lawyer, unabashed nerd and geek. Purveyor and pusher of excellent sci-fi/fantasy, good food, and repartee. He/him. Dog dad/servant to @Goldendenali.
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[MSRP $279.99, purchased on Amazon.com in March 2025 at the old MSRP.]
[Tl;dr: I’m really very impressed by the FT1 Pro; I thought given how good the FT1s were that these might be a disappointment, but they did not let me down. For my general musical preferences, I’m still going with my trusty 6XX most of the time, but for anyone who wants a little more bass in their open-back listening, these may be right up your alley. I will probably grab them anytime I’m listening to EDM or metal.
I came into this review pretty skeptical of Fiio’s ability to compete with the 6XX and the Edition XS, and I came away reasonably impressed. Fiio really seems to be killing it, lately.
Editor’s note: after I started this review, Fiio raised the price on these from $209.99 to $279.99 as part of the ongoing tariffs; while I still think these are reasonable at this price, they are definitely less competitive at $280 than they were at $220.
The Fiio FT1 came onto the scene in 2024, and ended up with a lot of prettyglowingreviews around the internet, and was consistently talked about in best-ofend-of-year lists, which is pretty impressive for what is, at heart, a mid-fi offering. The acclaim was consistent enough that I decided to snag a pair from Amazon, figuring that I would probably not like them very much (not being a big fan of closed-back headphones) and would exercise Amazon’s generous returns policy after some listening.
To my surprise? I really, really liked them. So much so, in fact, that I decided to take a flier on their new open-back brother, the Fiio FT1 Pro before tariffs really hit. Despite the fact that the ~$200 open-back space is a pretty crowded one, with some really stellar contenders that I personally like, including the Sennheiser 6XX (still my benchmark open back), the Hifiman Edition XS (maybe my new favorite budget-ish objective open-back), and the often-overlooked Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro.
[Review note: Based on my philosophy of resource allocation in Headfi, I should test these with an amplifier around $100 and a DAC between $66 and $100, so I opted to go with my value setup for most of the testing. Except where otherwise noted, testing was completed using a Schiit Modi 3E/Magni+ stack, running via mini-USB out of a Windows PC, driven by Roon, and with the included 3.5 mm OEM cable with the included 6.35 mm adapter. They are resolving enough that I found myself wanting to plug them into nicer setups, particularly the Chord Mojo 2 and the Schiit Jotunheim 2/Mimir stack. (Just a note; I mostly was listening to these with the volume knob around 10 or 11 o’clock on the Magni+’s lowest gain setting; they’re an easily driven headphone.)
The Fiio FT1 is a an open-back1 planar magnetic2 headphone. It’s relatively easy to drive3 (meaning it doesn’t require a dedicated amp), relatively light, surprisingly well-resolving, and seems designed to compete with offerings like Hifiman’s Edition XS. It’s a new design, released in November 2024, and has received generally favorable reviews. The tune is, overall, relatively neutral with a little warmth added on the bass end.
Sound.
I have pretty high standards for an open-back headphone in this price range, with the really excellent 6XX setting the bar high even seven years after purchase, and the recent decrease in the price of the Edition XS from $499 to $240 similarly set the standards in the objective open-back, planar magnetic space. I think the FT1 Pro struggles a bit more with silence or quiet than either the 6XX or the Edition XS; there’s a low hiss at the beginning of “What Did I Do?” that doesn’t appear on either of those headphones (and it’s particularly pronounced on the Mojo 2).
The soundstage/stereo separation is fine; pretty good left/right soundstage, but I would ideally like a little more front-to-back. Pretty decent snap to the side on “Love Can Damage Your Health”, and the width of the soundstage for the synths at the beginning of “Angel (Blur Remix) is really impressive. “Blackbird” is, unsurprisingly, distractingly separated but the vocals are dead-center (so good balance). The toms move around nicely in “Thunder Lightning” to the extent that it reminds me a lot of the Apple Music Spatial Audio mix of the track, even when listening to a pure stereo mix.
The dynamics are good; “It’s All So Incredibly Loud” lives up to its title by the end of the track, and the hollowing out around 0:30 is really well reproduced. Microdynamics are generally good in the treble and midrange, even around 0:57 on “Intro,” though the bass splatters a bit at the peak. Some of that is poor recording, though you still get a little warble and flex on the bell tones that open “Angel (Blur Remix)”.
The bass on the FT1 Pro is really satisfying, especially for a budget-ish open-back. It definitely feels quiet on tracks like “Out of My Hands” (particularly with the bass line coming in around 2:49), but it’s surprisingly clear and coherent on “Got ‘Til It’s Gone.” The brain wobble on “Limit to Your Love” is tightly controlled, if a bit understated compared to something like the FT1. My general takeaway is that the bass on the FT1 Pro is excellent on louder, busier tracks, and a little more exposed on quieter, more sparse ones. I would like a little more bass (same as the 6XX), and I’m curious to spend a little time with EQ. [After a bunch of A/B with other headphones, I think the one place the FT1 Pro is maybe lacking is in overall precision in the bass? It’s not sloppy, exactly, but it’s a little lacking compared to both the Edition XS and the 6XX.]
Mid-range is good, with excellent clarity, good separation between vocals and midrange instruments, and correct timbre on both male and female vocals. Justin Hicks stands out nicely on “What Did I Do”, and Amelia Meath’s voice floats through the instruments on “Coffee.” Jill Scott comes through nicely in the middle of “Calls” (on some headphones she can fade back into the busy mix a little). Jonna Lee is nicely ethereal on “Thunder Lightning”, particularly on some of the breathier phrases. I have no complaints about the quality or quantity of the mids.
Treble is generally very nice; present, clear, and crisp, without being overwhelming or overly sharp. No noticeable sibilance, even at pretty high volumes. Miles Davis’ solo in “Will O’ the Wisp” never crossed into harshness, even when I got the Magni’s volume up around 3 o’clock. The high synths on “Easy” stayed well-controlled and clear, even when the mix gets super dense towards the end, though I get a tiny bit of treble warble on “Garcia Counterpoint” running off some amps.
Balanced/single-ended. I’m mostly a skeptic when it comes to balanced audio connections for headphones for anything other than volume reasons, with the notable exception of the 6XX’s weirdly perfect interaction with the Moondrop Dawn Pro’s 4.4 mm balanced out. I think this continues to be true with the FT1 Pro; while I appreciate the inclusion of a 4.4 mm balanced cable just for ease of connections, I don’t hear any particular, consistent improvement running balanced (except, bizarrely, maybe better front-to-back/rotational soundstage? I mean, call me crazy but the rotating guitar riff on “Love Can Damage Your Health” is waaaaay more rotational than panning when running balanced via the Jotunheim, Gremlin, and Dawn Pro. I have no explanation and I half think I’m crazy, but … it is what it is).
Gaming.
Like most competent headphones, these perform reasonably well for non-sweaty gaming. The tuning on the FT1 Pro is bassy enough to be very satisfying for combat, and clean/technical enough to accurately convey all of the other audio information. And with a pretty good soundstage, it’s pretty good at placing things in space in a helpful and consistent manner. While I might want a tiny bit more bass for some kinds of games, it’s an easy tradeoff with the ability to be aware of my meat-space surroundings.
Value appropriate.The FT1 Pro are pretty easy to drive, with nominal impendence of 20 Ohms and a sensitivity of 95 dB/mW, making them a good candidate for dongle DACs like the Fiio BTR11/17 Bluetooth DACs,5 both of which sound very good with the FT1 Pro.6 For me, the US version of the Apple dongle connected to an Apple iPhone 15 got a comfortable listening volume around 50% on the phone, which is pretty good. On the Magni’s lowest gain setting, I am listening comfortably between 9-11 o’clock, but can swing up to around 3 o’clock for aggressive listening.
The Fiio BTR17 (left) and BTR11, Bluetooth DAC/transmitters.
Upgrades. One thing I’ve noticed about headphones in the budget space is that they sometimes sound outmatched by higher-end amplifiers and DACs; they might start showing cracks or limitations of the drivers or design. That’s not true of the best budget headphones, and I would put the FT1 Pro in that category. Running from the Schiit Jotunheim 2/Mimir stack, I feel like I’m getting slightly better bass extension and control, and maybe a hair more sparkle in the treble. This is even more pronounced with the Chord Mojo 2, which really seems to bring out the best in almost everything I’ve ever plugged into it.
The Chord Mojo 2, my personal favorite DAC/amp
If there ever were a headphone to make me break my general rule of DAC/amp value … this might be it. As it is, I’m guessing I’m going to spend a lot of time listening to them through the Mojo 2.
Tubes. The FT1 Pro appears to play very nicely with the Apos Gremlin, my favorite little tube amp. It just sounds … tube-y, running with the included balanced 4.4 mm cable. The bass line on “Cold War” is beautifully syrupy and warm without being indistinct or muddy, and it brings that extra little something to the opening bass riff of “Nobody Speak.” iamamiwhoami’s voice floats over the baritone sax on “Thunder Lightning”, and it’s gorgeous, especially with the pre-, mid-, and end-chorus tom pattern working its way across the channels.
I couldn’t be bothered to set up the Schiit Vali 2 (my only other tube amp), so maybe I’ll update that at some point if I have it set up for other things.
Build
Noise canceling/isolation.
None. These are a tiny bit less open than the 6XX or the Edition XS, but only a very tiny bit. You’re going to hear the world around you quite well, though I can barely hear anything from them with them at a reasonable volume and clamped to my leg.
Spatial audio.
Nope!
Controls.
None. These are passive open-backed headphones.
Connectivity.
Like their closed-back brother the Fiio FT1, the FT1 Pro uses a standard 3.5 mm TRS connection in each ear cup, making them compatible with a pretty broad array of both balanced and single-ended aftermarket cables (including those compatible with most Hifimans, Focals, and Mezes). Also like the FT1, the FT1 Pro has their TRS connections slightly recessed, so check to make sure that any cables you buy for them will fit into the guards.7
The recessed 3.5 mm port where cables attach to the FT1 Pro.
The FT1 Pro ships with both a 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced cable, and both are almost 5 feet long. They appear to be identical to the ones that come with the FT1.
Comfort.
The FT1 Pro is a very comfortable headphone. They’re definitely clampy bois out of the box, though I would say no worse than the FT1 or 6XX, and I’m curious to see if they (like the 6XX) get less clampy over time. The cups rotate 35 degrees side to side and 45 degrees in pitch, and combined with the clamp, it’s pretty easy to get a good, consistent fit.
If I move my head quickly I can get a little bit of sliding, but not with any normal movement I’d make at a desk.8 The pads are tall and well made, compressing nicely to get a good fitment. The ear hole is maybe a tad small for a large-eared person like me; inevitably I get a little pressure on either the lobe or the helix of my ear but it’s not bothersome (to me). As it gets warmer, I’m curious to see how they feel after long sessions; my ears definitely feel warm after a few hours with them on even in a pretty cool room, but that’s true of most over-ears (it’s going to be an IEM boy summer!).
The headband is the same style as the FT1, with thin cushy pads on a flexible metal band. I haven’t noticed any discomfort or hotspots, even with … let’s call it thinning hair, but it definitely doesn’t feel great if I’m wearing a hat with a squatchee.9
Speaking of metal bands … I didn’t note this with the FT1, but like the FT1, I have the band extensions pretty damned close to the smallest they get and I have a relatively large head. I don’t know if these are going to comfortably fit people with smaller heads, and if you have a less-than-giant noggin you might want to look at a Capra strap.
The FT1 Pro weigh in around 400 grams, which is fine for a bull-neck like me, but relatively heavy compared to something like the 6XX (which is more like 250 grams).
Construction.
Like the FT1, the FT1 Pro feels like it’s on the less expensive end of the headphone market. Lacking the walnut cups of the FT1, the Pro is mostly plastic construction with metal strips providing the same adjustments that you can get with the FT1. I have the same concerns about the bent, stamped metal bits attaching the cup frame to the band; they aren’t sharp, but seem like they might be at some point after a lot of use. I’m also being careful to grab both cups when taking off/putting on the FT1 Pro.
The earpads are pleather on the sides and cloth on the parts touching your ear, and there’s a nice layer of thin cushion actually over the drivers on the interior of the cups. The cups themselves are plastic with what feels like nicely milled aluminum grills on the outside.
I will say that these squeak like nobody’s business when you rotate the cups horizontally. The cups are much stiffer than the FT1’s, and at least for my unit, the left side badly needs to be greased so it doesn’t sound like fingernails on a chalkboard whenever I take them off or put them on.
Not being a closed-back, the FT1 Pro is much less susceptible to the Occlusion Effect and the cables that are slightly microphonic on the FT1 are not nearly as noticeable here, though if you rub the cable between the split and the cups you will notice some unpleasant noise.
Overall, like the FT1, these feel like a much cheaper product than they sound like.
Also like the FT1,10 the FT1 Pro come with a nice (and identical!) set of accessories: a burgundy/brown, rigid cloth carrying case, two ~5 ft cables (3.5 mm single-ended with 6.3 mm adapter, and a 4.4 mm balanced). The cables are mostly pretty good (if a tiny bit microphonic in certain situations), and enough memory to coil themselves a little when not under tension.
Appearance.
I actually really like the way these look; unlike the window shade look of the egg Hifimans or the basic black grill of the Sennheiser line, Fiio have opted to go with a nicely patterned metal grill. I think they look quite stylish and modern, but then I’m more of a fan of the look of Hifiman’s round cup line than most (and these seem at least inspired by the Hifiman 400SE’s look).
The FT1 Pro’s looks are not going to fool anyone into thinking they’re expensive headphones, but they’re nicer looking than they had to be at this price point.
Value/Comparisons.
When I started this review last week, the obvious comparison with the FT1 Pro was the Sennheiser x Drop 6XX (the re-colored Drop version of Sennheiser’s classic HD 650). The 6XX is usually around $200, and the FT1 Pro was $219.99 on Amazon. Unfortunately, the FT1 Pro’s pricing has been updated to reflect the ongoing US/China trade war, and the MSRP on the FT1 Pro increased to $279.99, making them more comparable price wise to the Hifiman Edition XS at $269.00.11 I’ll do comparisons to both below.
[I’m doing the comparisons via the Chord Mojo 2 because I can run two headphones out of the same device, and the color-coded volume helps me be consistent across devices.]
6XX.
I really, really love the 6XX. I have many pairs of open-back headphones, including some that are much more expensive, but the 6XX is still (and will probably always be) my benchmark for open-back sound. This comparison ended up being a surpringly close call to me.
The Sennheiser x Drop 6XX vs. the Fiio FT1 Pro/
Most people will probably prefer the bass on the FT1 Pro. One of the consistent knocks on the 6XX/650 is the bass; most folks think the 6XX is sorely lacking. I actually disagree; to me the 6XX has excellent, tightly controlled and precise bass. But it’s bass you hear, not bass you feel. By comparison, the FT1 Pro has much better-feeling bass; throughout “Garcia Counterpoint” you can feel the bass moving around without hearing it too overtly; by contrast, on the 6XX you can hear the notes but they don’t resonate as much. The FT1 definitely has more heft in the bass, and definitely better microdynamics: you can really hear the bend at the beginning of all of the bell tones on “Angel (Blur Remix)”, versus the much more relaxed presentation of the 6XX.
[t]o me the 6XX has excellent, tightly controlled and precise bass. But it’s bass you hear, not bass you feel. By comparison, the FT1 Pro has much better-feeling bass[.]
Mids are, in my oh-so-humble opinion, a clear win for the 6XX. Justin Hick’s voice on “What Did I Do” is perfection; beautifully reproduced, standing out from the mix without being distractingly so. It’s not the FT1 Pro struggle with mids; they’re also quite lovely, just a tiny bit lacking and maybe a hair recessed into the instruments on some tracks. The timbre on the 6XX is also a gem; I can hear slight differences in the guitars playing a duet on “Garcia Counterpoint,” whereas on the FT1 Pro you can only determine which is which by placement in the mix.
Treble is a pretty mixed bag, to me. The 6XX definitely has mellower treble than the FT1 Pro, but even the FT1 Pro rarely edge towards harshness. On “Will O’ The Wisp”, Miles Davis’s solo stands out much more clearly on the FT1 Pro than the 6XX, though I think overall the precision and clarity is slightly better on the 6XX. This is also true on the cymbals around 3:00 on “Love Can Damage Your Health (Laid Mix)”, where the FT1 Pro is more forward in the mix but the clarity and control is better on the 6XX.
For the less tangible things, I think the 6XX has a slightly wider soundstage and certainly a much deeper one (the FT1 pro feels relatively one-dimensional to me), but the FT1 Pro has better layer separation among the instruments and microdynamics. Accents are sharper, and stand out better from the background.
You aren’t going to go wrong either way choosing between the FT1 Pro and the 6XX. They’re both fantastic headsets. For me, I think I’m still choosing the 6XX for most music. If I’m listening to EDM, hip-hop, or something more bassy, I might grab the Pro, but for anything quiet, instrumental, or vocal-focused (which is a lot of what I listen to), I prefer the 6XX’s sound profile (especially with the new pads I installed a few weeks ago; it’s a whole new headphone!). And that’s only more true now that the FT1 Pro is $80+ more expensive at MSRP. Add in the fact that the 6XX/650 has been made for decades and has a robust aftermarket parts ecosystem and proven reliability … the 6XX is still king in my book.
Edition XS.
My suspicion is that the Edition XS is what Fiio actually wants the FT1 Pro to compete with. They’re similar in some ways, though the Edition XS definitely leans into objective-tuned performance and precision, while the FT1 has a slightly more fun presentation.
The Fiio FT1 Pro (left) and the Hifiman Edition XS (right).
The bass here is a lot closer than the 6XX, though continue to think the FT1 Pro’s bass strength is in feeling bass rather than hearing it; the XS are SO precise and crisp on “Angel (Blur Remix)” and “What Did I Do?” that it’s hard for the FT1 Pro’s more immersive and immediate feeling sound to compete from a purely technical standpoint.
For mids, especially vocal presentation, I prefer the XS. The timbre and balance are better, though the FT1 Pro continues to shine on layering and instrument separation (the XS sounds flatter on some tracks, for lack of a better word). I prefer the treble on the on the FT1 Pro; the Edition XS is definitely brighter, though that brightness comes with additional resolution on the top end (and it’s, largely, still well controlled treble). The FT1 Pro’s tune is just slightly more to my preference.
This is a much closer call than I would have anticipated before I started my A/B’ing with these headphones. The XS are clearly the better performing headphone in my mind, but I think I prefer the FT1 Pro for every day listening. They’re a super fun, highly-engaging sound, while the XS can be a little clinical and detached at times. That’s even true with the current MSRPs of both, with the Edition XS having come down a lot in the last few months and the FT1 Pro coming up almost 50%. But again; you won’t go wrong either way. I’ve been calling the Edition XS the best deal in hifi right now, but this may dislodge it (if the FT1 at $160 hadn’t already).
For me, it’s 6XX (@$199) > FT1 Pro (@$279.99) > Edition XS (@$269).
Additional Comparisons
I’ve compared the FT1 Pro to other headphones in reviews since this one. I’m trying to link them here:
These are a fantastic, super fun pair of headphones, though they were a much better deal at $220 than $280. If you want a pair of engaging open-backs and either can’t get the 6XX12 or want to use some of the amps that the 6XX doesn’t play super well with, you won’t go wrong with the FT1 Pro. I was debating whether I would send them back or pass them along to someone else to enjoy, but I think I like them enough that they may join my collection for future comparisons and for out-of-the-house bassy listening (when I don’t want to carry the 109 Pros). If nothing else, I’d like to spend some time playing with balanced amplifiers with them, and ooh boy do they sound great with tubes.
As I mentioned last week in my review of the FT1, Fiio has announced that they are halting shipment of inventory to the US in light of the Trump administration’s tariff actions, so I’m going to guess these become harder to find in the short term, and likely much more expensive in the long term. If you’re in the market and have the funds right now, you might want to get them while the getting is good. [After I started writing this, I discovered that the black version is sold out on Amazon, and the blue version increased in price from $220 to $280.]
Meaning you can hear the world around you while you’re wearing them, and that people sitting close to you will be able to hear what you are listening to. ↩︎
A type of headphone speaker that is considered to be better at producing detail than dynamic drivers, the classic type of headphone speaker. ↩︎
Impedance of 20 Ohm, and sensitivity is 96 dB/mW. ↩︎
I’m trying a new way of laying out the amplifier compatibility section as part of an upcoming project, let me know if it makes sense or not. ↩︎
Comfortable listening volumes: BTR11, around 75% on iPhone 15; BTR17 37/60 running single-ended. ↩︎
Man, the bass sound so surprisingly good on the BTR17 on The Magician’s “Sunlight.” ↩︎
The fatest cable I have, the OEM that comes with the Focal Elex, does not fit in the FT1 Pro’s ports without substantial pressure; enough pressure that I’d be uncomfortable applying it regularly. ↩︎
It probably goes without saying, but these are not a … great choice for the gym? ↩︎
4 responses to “The Fiio FT1 Pro; a Great New Addition to the Crowded Open-Back Space”
Ace
Hey! Loved the review. As an owner of the FT1 Pro, do you think that the Edition XS is an upgrade or a sidegrade? I find my FT1 pro to be sounding very very good with EQ. Without EQ they sound kind of Meh to me. Do you think this compares to Edition XS even if they are a little low on details?
For me, the XS is a slightly better performing headphone in a lot of ways, but I prefer the FT1 Pro for the kinds of listening I do. The XS is a great, objective tune, but it’s a little bright for my preference and struggles a bit with quieter, more subtle music. If I were listening to a lot of hip hop or EDM I might grab the XS, but most of the time the FT1 Pro is going to be my choice.
Hey, nice review! Do you think, if one is willing to EQ, is the FT1 pro still equal to the Edition XS? I bought the FT1 Pro for $210 and love it very much. Without EQ, these sound meh and not that great but with EQ, they sound so very good. To be very honest, I can consider these endgame and may move to the speaker realm next. Would love to know your opinion, if the edition xs and the 6xx is a sidegrade or an upgrade.
Thank you.
PS:I use this with FiiO K11. I mainly listen to EDM, rap and orchestral music.
I think the XS will always edge the FT1 Pro out in terms of resolution and detail retrieval, and EQ lets you sand off the rough edges on the XS’ treble-icious tuning. The FT1 Pro better suits my listening, and the XS is probably the better performer overall. But it’s pretty close.
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