I have been reviewing the FiiO FT3 for nearly two months, and this review article is long overdue, but for good reasons. Once I finish a product review, I would have to return the product. So what does it say about the product what I do not want to publish the article? Yes, the FT3 is quite an enjoyable wired headphones to use. It retails at S$479 in Singapore and is distributed by AV One.
Unboxing and Accessories
The FT3 is FiiO’s maiden attempt at designing over-ear wired open-back headphones, so clearly they are going to great lengths to make it an impressive product. Holistically, this headphones could easily please a large group of users, from the audiophiles to the gamers, from the bargain hunters to the premium goers. The retail box is packed in a separate generic cardboard box protected with plastic corner inserts and a sticker of authenticity. Check out the unboxing video:
It is impressive that FiiO includes the accessories that are not common. First of all, you will find a luxurious brown leather hard case further protected with a cloth bag. The colour doesn’t quite correlate to the headphones style, but nevertheless, I appreciate the inclusion of a storage case which is better than not having one, as it helps to keep the headphones safe when not in use.
Then there are two pairs of ear pads with different materials. Suede pads for warmer sound, while protein leather pads for clarity. Moving on to the cable design, FiiO uses the Furukawa monocrystalline copper wire which was ordered in 2013 and kept in storage until now. The 3-metre long cable is wrapped with braided nylon while the other end features a patent-pending swappable audio plug from 3.5mm single-end to 4.4mm balanced. In addition to the standard 3.5mm to 6.35mm converter, there is also the 4.4mm to XLR-4 balanced adapter, an audiophile must-have converter which is also separately sold. All cable accessories have special holders that you can secure in the storage case.
Design
The headphones are designed with a stretchable headband that supports the fit. The clamping force is not too tight while keeping the headphones secured on my head. The outer headband is wrapped with full grain leather material which appears unlikely to flake compared to the software pleather. The design reminds me of the Philips Fidelio X2 I owned many years back, but the FiiO FT3 is much more comfortable, lighter, while fitting larger 60mm diaphragm drivers.
The ear cup design has the gaming vibes, which I think FiiO is trying to appeal to the young growing market of discerning listeners. It does not bother me because these headphones are for home use and no one is going to judge me. My primary considerations for headphones are: sound quality, comfort, durability. The FiiO FT3 gets all of them right.
With a 350-ohm high impedance, the FT3 is surprisingly less difficult to drive compared to the Hifiman HE400se thanks to its high sensitivity. There are a lot of factors behind the different impedance, but to keep it simple, higher-impedance headphones are better in producing audio details as the voice coil wires in the speaker driver is thinner, they wind more times, resulting in higher sensitivity and dynamics. High impedance does not mean lower audio output, as it depends on the sensitivity spec. The FT3 has a 105dB sensitivity at 1kHz, which is a good number and is compatible with most portable devices.
Sound Quality
Remember that the FT3 comes with two pairs of earpads. As stated in the product website, the suede earpads produces “balanced sound, enhanced ambiance, majestic experience”, while the protein leather offers “clear sound, large soundscape, highly detailed”. It is largely aligned with what I hear. Bass frequency lingers around more on the suede pads, it fills the ears with the low rumbles better. When switching to the pleather, the bass is less plump but sounds clean and articulated. Conversely, the treble sounds more airy, spatial, more precise on the pleather pads. Midrange also benefits from the pleather’s cleaner presentation and sounds less veiled.
Personally, I prefer the suede earpads because of its more prominent bass, which is not too overpowering yet its presence provides an overall warmer tonality. I believe that its larger diaphragm contributed to the greater bass intensity yet leaving room for the midrange and upper frequencies to showcase the details. At the same time, the treble is not too pushy on the suede pads so that listening gets less fatiguing. Having said that, I am quite happy to swap the pads if I listen to albums that I want the vocals to shine and give me the chills. For acoustic piano tracks, I am able to pick up the key-striking movements amidst the loitering sustain notes that suspend yet dissipates across the wide stage.
How does the FiiO FT3 compare to my other wired headphones? First, I want to compare it with my old headphones that I have sold off, but I have to disclaim that my impressions on these old headphones may not be accurate. The Philips Fidelio X2 rests heavier on my head, its sound is brighter and more brittle, bass is less oomph compared to the FT3. The Sennheiser HD650 is warmer, treble is less bright, while bass is less boomy.
The Hifiman HE400se has a narrower sound stage, so instruments sound closer, more direct. Bass is leaner with less low energy. Dishing out my Sennheiser HD 800 S, I can appreciate why I pay so much for it. The HD800S sounds much more engaging, immersive, yet presenting in a wider space. Treble is not as sparkling and prominent mix as the FT3, yet it remains highly detailed. Instruments have better balance among one another, less crowded, you can hear the separation.
After putting all the good words, that is not to say the FT3 is lacking. I feel that the HD800S offers me an ultimate reference-grade listening experience when I’m in the mood. This master headphones present music in a different plane that is certainly in a league of its own.
What I enjoy on the FT3 is the ability to present instrumental performance with a relatively prominent bass impression while showcasing the rest of the musical details without sounding too sterile. Its high sensitivity and resistance mean that it will convert the amplifier’s characteristics to the FT3, letting you appreciate the quality (or lack of) of your amp. I enjoy driving the FT3 with the Burson Playmate digital headphone amp with V6 Opamps which I have kept in storage for a while. Using a Ugreen USB-audio adapter on my Pixel 7 Pro, the FT3 still manages to deliver articulated sounds with a good feel of the sound stage where the mid and upper instrumentations are spaced for comfortable refined listen aided with firm filling lows.
Conclusion
The FiiO FT3 is my new favourite value-for-money every-day headphones with audiophile-grade versatility that I can use both as a high-quality casual headphones and a reliable reference cans. At a retail price of S$479, it trumps many headphones at the price range for its impressive audio performance and generous accessories. More importantly, its design ensures that the headphones will last for decades without any surface deterioration.
