FiiO FT1 Pro Review

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Inside the box

The FiiO FT1 Pro comes with a very good bundle (same as the FT1), in opposition to its price. In the box, you get:

• the FiiO FT1 Pro
• a silver-plated copper cable with a straight 3.5mm single-ended termination
• a silver-plated copper cable with a straight 4.4mm balanced termination
• one 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter
• a travel case

A good bundle considering the asking price that should suit most users, even the tackiest one.

Honestly, the FiiO FT1 Pro comes with everything you might need, so the only thing that you could add would be a good DAC or DAP.

Personally, I chose the FiiO DM13 (yes a CD player) as my main source and the FiiO JM21 when I wanted streaming on the go, but any audiophile source should make it work.

Sound performance

My main sources were: FiiO DM13 / FiiO JM21 / SMSL DO400, trusted sources from trusted brands that I used extensively for the past months.

Files were played from either Apple Music / Spotify or my own music library. Some tracks will be highlighted, just so you can try them at home too!

Overall signature

So, how does FiiO’s latest headphone fare against the competition? In one word: superb.

If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to read the rest of the review: for the price, this new headphone is one of the best headphone I listened to this year, with the Shanling HW600 (another planar). I was already a fan of the FT1, but the FT1 Pro goes way beyond of what the previous model was able to offer.

Head to head with the FiiO FT5 I tested a few weeks ago, and the FT1 that I still own to this day, I’d go as far as to say that the new FiiO FT1 Pro overthrew both of them on every tracks that I listened to. Striking the right balance between fun, warmth, and technicality, the planar driver handled everything I threw at him with much more ease than anticipated—even when driven by the compact yet powerful KA17.

And yes, when paired with high-end sources like my iBasso DX320, the FT1 Pro did surpass the FT5 delivering crisper highs, a wider soundstage and more warmth making the sound much more enjoyable on the long run. And, like the FT1, you keep punchy mid-lows, lively mid-highs, and a remarkable ability to pair with both entry-level and premium sources, like the iBasso of even my Shanling H7.

It’s clear FiiO’s engineers knew their (witch)craft and, even at low-volume, the FT1 Pro delivered deep, hard-hitting sub-bass and low-mids, surpassing the Meze 99 Classics and even putting the 105 AER in a tight corner with a balanced source like my SMSL DO400. The depth in the bass didn’t sacrifice spaciousness, which is often the case with lower-end planar but even with the SMSL DO400, I was blown away by how enjoyable the experience was—especially with my usual techno tracks.

My biggest surprise came from the pairing. Combined with the DM13, the FiiO FT1 Pro gave me some insane moments where I had to question what was to be expected by small, affordable combo in 2025 – even more now that I went full blown high-end for my home-theater setup… Paired with the FiiO JM21, things went even better and I was even pleased to hear some features that I couldn’t on the FT1, at the same volume level.

Pan effects are delightful too to listen to, the wide soundstage offering some epic moments. The first seconds of Money from Pink Floyd are a classical test, but with good headsets like this one, it never ceased to amaze me. Again, let me recall that this is a $200 USD headphone, that may even surpass my old LCD-XC (but not my LCD-X thankfully), and which will be a better deal than a second-hand LCD-1.

One last thing: going balanced on this one makes a vivid difference, so as long as you can, prefer the Pentaconn cable when you can, instead of the 3.5mm TRS one. Sure, that comes handy, but knowing that you could get a FiiO KA17 for less than $150 USD and top a sub $400 combo that performs like a thousand dollars one… please threat yourself.

So yeah, long story short, this is one of my favorite headphone this year, a lovely addition to FiiO’s lineup!

Tonality

Highs: exquisite. Crisp and precise, the FT1 Pro presentation remains smooth and non-fatiguing, delivering a pristine render at every given volume. The large diaphragm design does seem to work and lends a natural and airy quality to the highs, ensuring that even the most delicate nuances are reproduced faithfully.

Good test track : Bernard’s Song – Veronique Sansson

Mids: massive soundstage, impressive definition. As for the highs, the mids have been given the same amount of care and the voices are absolutely brilliant. This is especially true with DAC like the KA17 and digital amp like the SMSL, the FiiO not needing lot of power to be driven, but even paired with classics like the FiiO KA17 the FT1 Pro delivered superb vocals, almost effortlessly.

Good test track:  Obama – Dombrance

Lows: quiet power, powerful lows. The FT1 Pro isn’t the most flamboyant planar in that regard, but lows were still able to impress me more than one. Compared to the Audeze LCD-XC or my UM Maestro, I could hear the rumble of the bass, even at (very) low volume level, when the other required a lot more power to begin to express themselves. Kudos to the team!

Good test track : The Return – Pylot

Sensitivity / Hiss

Impedance is low, sensitivity is high, so yes, you could drive those headphone with almost everything.

Paired with the FiiO KA17 I never had to use the high gain mode to get really good bass, and even the KA11 was a right match for the FiiO FT1 Pro. My top choice? If your budget has no limit, that’d be the FiiO Q7 but more reasonably, go for the FiiO KA15 which not only matches the FiiO FT1 pro configuration but its signature too.

And for the hiss, I encountered none with all my sources, Hurray!

Conclusion

To put it in a nutshell, the FiiO FT1 Pro is a true bang for your buck: an over-ear headphone standing out as one of the best options in its category. For less than $200, it’s one of their most versatile option, combining exceptional value, great comfort, premium material and an expansive bundle – thanks to the addition of a second, balanced cable

Sound wise, I consider this headphone one, if not the best sounding open-back model available on the market right now, up to $500. A sort of shoe-horned HW600 for those that can’t bear the $800 difference.

So yeah, if you’re in the market for an entry-level, but exceptional headphone that isn’t a Bluetooth one, the FiiO FT1 Pro is without a doubt, the best option at the moment.

A headphone that goes to our recommendation list, obviously.

Summary

Pros

• superb sound for the price, whatever the source
• great construction and premium cable
• lightweight for a planar
• solid bass even with lightweight sources
• less than $200

Cons

• nothing at this price

Full specs

• Model: FiiO FT1 Pro
• Type: open-back headphone
• Style: planar magnetic driver
• Drivers: proprietary 95x86mm 2nd generation planar magnetic driver
• Socket: dual mono-jack
• Cable: silver-plated oxygen free copper with 392 wires and 3.5mm or 4.4mm termination
• Material : black aluminum faceplated, steel headband, suede fabric cover, breathable mesh earpads
• Frequency Response: 7Hz – 40kHz
• Impedance: 20 ohms
• Sensitivity: 98dB/mW – 113dB/Vrms
• Sound Isolation (up to): 0dB
• Earpad pressure: 4.5N +/- 0.3N
• Cable length: 150cm
• Weight: 374g excluding cable
• Price: $199 USD

Page 1: About FiiO

Page 2: Design & Build Quality, Comfort, Isolation, Specs

Page 3: Bundle, Sound, Conclusion, Summary, Full specs