FiiO FT5

In many ways the FiiO FT5s are the antithesis of typical lifestyle headphones. The wired, open over-ear design is not the lightest, weighing in at around 450 grams without the cable, but it is absolutely top quality. They are more likely to be used at home or in hotel rooms when travelling, in combination with a DAP. There are no gimmicks, but the focus is on high-quality music reproduction. A special feature is the magnetostatic design, which uses a large 90mm driver with a wafer-thin 6µm diaphragm that is made to vibrate in a constant magnetic field of 20 neodymium magnets.

Unlike dynamic designs, there is no conventional voice coil drive. Instead, the audio signal flows through a conductor loop inside the diaphragm, which can respond quickly.

Mechanical construction

The FT5 has a convincing and robust finish. The elegant yet technical design is based on a black magnesium alloy and eschews frills and bling. The headphones come in a high-quality hard case made of brown faux leather, which provides a worthy home for the headphones and protects them during transport.

The ear cups are round and have replaceable ear pads, which come with either velour or leatherette covers.

The cable runs along the back of the ear pads on both sides. The cable is replaceable, of course. But that’s not all: FiiO supplies a 1.5 metre long connection cable with several hundred monocrystalline, silver-plated copper strands covered in fabric. This cable can be used with either a 3.5mm mini jack plug or a balanced 4.4mm plug. Adapters are also available for 6.35mm jack or 4-pin XLR.

The design adapts well to the shape of your head thanks to a double headband with an auto-adjusting inner band, rotating and pivoting ear cups and good padding around the ears. However, the pressure is a little too high for my liking. Although the headphones are comfortable to wear, I found them to be uncomfortable during extended listening sessions.

Sound quality

With an impedance of 36 ohms, the FiiO FT5 do not place any great demands on headphone amplifiers, and even work well with smartphones. However, the headphones perform best with dedicated DAP devices and headphone amplifiers. Thanks to its flexible connections, the FT5 is well equipped for this.

I carried out my listening tests with the DAP Shanling M3X (review) and the RME ADI-2 Pro FS R (review). Thanks to the balanced connection, the FT5 also delivers a powerful level for a mobile solution on the compact Shanling M3X. The external isolation is quite good thanks to the solid construction. Nevertheless, these are headphones for stationary use.

The Boris Blank track ‘Vertigo Heroes’ gives a first impression of the excellent detail resolution. It is immediately clear that these are a class above Bluetooth and cheap dynamic solutions. This makes listening a pleasure! In the Atmos mix, the room is beautifully wide, with the necessary depth information and reverberation effects, but also with considerable closeness when required. Movement in the stereo panorama is easy to follow, sometimes even behind your head.

In general, the highs are wonderfully open for a headphone of this price, with a wealth of detail that allows you to listen analytically deep into the mix and the room. Even with conventional stereo mixes, the FiiO FT5 earns good marks for its reproduction of stereo panorama and spatiality. However, there are more expensive competitors that are slightly ahead in terms of width and depth. The timbre of instruments and samples is believably realistic and the distortion of voices is almost vivid. In addition to the great spatiality, airiness and resolution of detail, I was also impressed by the generally fast response and the effortless, articulate bass, which reaches all the way down to the basement and doesn’t buckle even at high output levels. At the same time, I would say that the FiiO FT5 works with a subtle bass emphasis.

In rock productions, the FiiO FT5 shows its strengths with a cohesive, wide and thoroughly warm sound image, with natural, detailed vocals, powerful drums and reliable reproduction of the timbre of guitars with varying degrees of distortion – from Opeth to Meshuggah. Even extreme metal mixes never sound too aggressive beyond the intention of the mix. Fortunately, the FT5 avoids harshness.

The fast acceleration is also reflected in the remarkably good timing. Doubled voices are reliably identifiable due to the small timing differences (Malia/Boris Blank: Claire Cadillac).

The timbres of the instruments in the acoustic range also impressed me with their authentic character and comprehensive fine resolution. The classic ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ by the Holly Cole Trio clearly demonstrates this: the buzzing, defined double bass, the percussive, dynamic piano and the singer’s wonderfully expressive voice are in perfect harmony. The same is true of the superb MTV live recording of the Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’. The various voices, shimmering acoustic guitars, bass and drums are beautifully balanced and fill the room.

Finally, it should come as no surprise that the FiiO FT5 is also at its best when playing classical music. In fact, you can literally fall back in your chair and immerse yourself in the tonal colours of the symphony orchestra.

The differences between the two ear pads are noticeable. The leather pads are a little more impulsive, with more articulation and pressure, while the velour pads tend to be softer in the highs and ‘thicker’ in the lows, with a slightly less tight feel, but with a little more bass.

The bottom line

For €499, the FiiO FT5s are audiophile headphones with a planar magnetic design that sound not only balanced and rich in detail, but also wonderfully fast and airy. Provided you have a good headphone amplifier, you are entering a class of sound for which you have to pay considerably more elsewhere. The design and build quality are also uncompromising. In addition, the accessories supplied are extremely generous – everything has been thought of! We can look forward to the next developments.