Really Good CHEAP Closed Back Headphones | FiiO FT1 Review

[@BSD2000]

After jumping on the hype train for lots of headphones in the past, these are 100% legit amazing, at ANY price. Headphones I've owned/own: Sennheiser HD800's, HD 650's, HD660S2's, Focal Elex, Audio Technica ATH-M50X's, Neumann NDH-20's, various AKG's, HiFiman Arya's, Stax L700's, L300 Limiteds and Stax SR-009's, Adam Audio H200's, HarmonicDyne X Eris, Philips SHP9500/9600's, BLON BL03's and other headphones I've long sold off. These and the BLON BL03's are the only ones that lived up to their hype, 100%. There's something about the fiber cone material that reproduces the contrasts of instruments and layers that only my Arya headphones and Stax can do. No other dynamic headphones I've heard can do what the FT-1's can do; It's like hearing songs for the first time. It reminds me of my Neumann studio monitors, actually. For the price, I'm blown away - and I'm hard to impress.

[@RepDreStre]

I'm waiting for mine to arrive rn and your comment hyped me even more ffs I NEED to try them asap

[@xairaxboss]

What do you think of Eris? I'ma basshead, the kind that wants his ears to be destroyed by bass. I've just ordered these after seeing the reviews and praise they get. I'm thinking of EQing them to be a little more bassy. Have i made a good choice?

[@nomoredamnnamestouse]

M50X was the most garbage thing I have ever heard outside of smartphone built-in speakers, I had better sound on much cheaper BT speakers.

[@MrAhuraMazda]

An absolutely absurd amount of headphones

[@niasboiii]

Own the 9500 M40x DT900X Momentum 4 and HD558 myself. Thinking of FT1 or 361..

[@JTB--]

I've had the FT1 a few weeks. Possibly the best bang for the buck headphone on the market. Great all rounder sound signature, nice wood cups, 4.4 cable. Steal at $150 bucks

[@Slambear]

How does it compare to HD 560s?

[@JTB--]

@@Slambear 560s is another great bang for the buck headphone. I use it for mixing and tracking/recording music and even gaming. It will probably be $150 on BF. Another steal. 560s is every bit as good as the HD600 and 650 for half the price. It's right there with the FT1. FT1 is a closed back that kinda can do what open back HP's do

[@Tssukiii]

@@JTB--tbh I even prefer the HD560S to the whole 600 line. Incredible bargain.

[@k.w5804]

@@JTB--I’d even go beyond and say 560s is almost identical to hd 490 pro with mixing pads. I had the 560s and have the 490 pro now. Only reason I keep the hd 490 pro is the comfort and slightly better base. The rest is head-fi.

[@soulstart89]

@@JTB-- what site did you get them from? In the EU and UK the official fiio site has them on pre order and the only other uk sight have them sold out.

[@letoxicm8930]

Just received my copy of the FT1 a few minutes ago. Hands down the best $150 for any audio product period. There is nothing you can complain about this, build is 5/5, accessories is 5/5, comfort is 5/5, SQ for it's price is like 8/5. It's creepily how good it sound. In a way it's a lot more balance compared to my Meze 99 Noir, which is also a crazy amazing pair of close back.

[@madcrabber1113]

I have several FIIO products and am happy with all of them. FIIO reminds me of what Sony was like back in the 80's.

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

After destroying the iem segment, chifi is coming strong for the headphones. A lot of new ones already annouced. Hoping that at least some will be good and with decent princing.

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

@residentzero i think it exists but it's very expensive

[@rene837]

@residentzero Not possible if you want good sound.

[@yakucho8123]

​@andonlytheone111 phase and frequency issues.

[@100500daniel]

I got mine yesterday, I was surprised that it came with two cabels and an adapter, and they aren't cheap cables, considering the overall headphones are a really good deal even without the accessories.

[@jadespidey]

Can you update on your listening experience?

[@DJ_PROMO_PR]

Just bought the new Beech color version of the FT1. Can't wait!!!

[@josephalmazan4805]

Bro does the color way look better In person the other one is out of stock an idk if I should wait

[@dustydynasty802]

Cool review. Although a lot of points are contradicted compared to other reviewers which is a bit frustrating. DMS highlighted soundstage on this headphone

[@shhhhrrriiii486]

Yes that's what I wondered too; is DMS compared FT1's soundstage compared to its competition, or in general?

[@moskva-kassiopeya]

Headphone reviews are always like that, that’s why you should take it with a grain of salt.

[@autotropicplaybench1819]

I'd imagine position of the earpads and the shape/depth of your ear canal would be some factors that would make people perceive audio differently, even without taking preferences into account which adds onto things.

[@shhhhrrriiii486]

@AdamJKelly-s6v What, is in your opinion, the best fun sounding headphone?

[@Leo-ym5xn]

There's no universally fun headphone​ for everyone. It solely depends on which music genre you like, and thus choose a headphone with sound profile that highlights prevalent frequencies. @@shhhhrrriiii486

[@TonkyTronicus]

It's the best closed back v-shaped headphone I've heard so far. Not having a preference for soundstage has been a true blessing and boon for me in this hobby.

[@O.G.LIL-MAN]

Huh? Then if youre saying that then you really are happy with bottom of the barrel headphones that dont sound good compared to othwr brands. Youre just letting us know that youre tastws have not been challenged by better headphones

[@TonkyTronicus]

@@O.G.LIL-MAN Everyone stand back! A true audiophile is coming through!

[@TonkyTronicus]

@@O.G.LIL-MAN I guess I'm just not a real audiophile like you are.

[@marley720]

@@O.G.LIL-MAN You shouldn't have to get the best headphones in the market lol. Just let people be happy, for a normal person a $150 dollar headphone is super expensive, and even as an audiophile by far the biggest jump in sound quality is from something like air pods or supermarket headphones to this. I personally have some quite high end headphones and while they sound better, I have gotten great enjoyment from lower end cans like the sundara.

[@dustydynasty802]

What other closed backs have you listened to?

[@steelcitysi]

Would love an Aune SR7000 review please, not exactly budget but 600usd on Amazon. Interesting to compare that closed back to the Maxwell, FT1 and Azurys

[@Tssukiii]

+1

[@Hijynx87]

isnt sr7000 closed back?

[@calvinyip364]

He already did a review on aune ar5000 that's why I bought it too

[@steelcitysi]

​@@Hijynx87 yes SR7000 is closed back

[@4epa1012]

I have the SR7000 and AR5000 headphones, SR7000 sounds like an open back headphone, but it's a closed back headphone. It does have slightly wider soundstage than AR5000 to my ears, I don't think Maxwell, FT1 or Azurys can compete with that.

[@nightryder21]

Looking forward to that SOny MDR-M1 Review. Maybe a comparison with the MDR-7506.

[@joefilter2923]

Gagetry Tech says the Yaxi pads bring 7506 close in freq resp in his M1 review.

[@Thepapoyboyz]

Mdr m1basically tame down or more lush ver mdr 7506 with detachable cable. If you’re prefer more detail trebel go for old one than m1

[@lord5619]

Thanks for the review, Josh! I got them about three weeks ago and man, its just so good for this price. Its fun, comfy, fairly natural sounding headphone. The now live on my head everyday. And it has wooden cups, thats plus 2 points all by itself 😅 One of, if not the, best bang for your buck right now. Well done, Fiio! My Denon D7200 are much better in almost every aspect, but they are also much much more expensive. But when i want fun, ill grab Fiio.

[@calvinyip364]

How is the soundstage. Female vocals and detail retrieval?

[@lord5619]

​@@calvinyip364 For me, it has almost no soundstage. Like i can somewhat locate sounds in space, but the precision isnt good. I wont say, its clustrophobic, but its close. Details are fine for this price, nothing astonishing, but not bad either. Female vocals are good, i have no problem regarding to that. It has the sparkle and extension for my use. But i dont listen to much of vocal music tbh. But considering the price, they are very well tuned and i love them.

[@calvinyip364]

@@lord5619 I mean you can't pinpoint them. Arent that supposed to be imaging? And instruments all blend together? No distinction?

[@lord5619]

​@@calvinyip364 ...or maybe its imaging, sry :) but even that isnt all great. Large musical ensembles dont have that spacious room around them, if you know what i mean. It all sounds small to me. Blending of instruments isnt bad, its not crisp and clear, but not bad. Its still budget closed-back. If you are interested in roomy, specious representation, its always better to get open-back HP.

[@calvinyip364]

@@lord5619so the instrument separation is bad. Meaning you can't hear each instrument with clarity all blending together? Imaging is you can hear left to right , and right to left. The dept is you can how far or near it's the music instrument or vocals sound . Than the width is you can hear how far the instrument beside each other. And than if it's in a small room you can hear that. Or if it's grand concert hall you can hear that too the spacious sound . All the dept , width , instrument separation imo.sum up as soundstage. Where you can pint point is imagine. You know where the exact location of the sound. Coming from left , right , top , top corner. Or vocals in the middle , drum on left , guitar far right etc. got that sense of spaciousness.

[@WolfgangBrozart]

Please stop saying the Maxwell is well built! The drivers are extremely fragile and there are numerous reports of earcups outright dying.

[@Lord-Wams]

I am happy with mine so far and I have had them over a year 👍

[@callmemrdee]

@@Lord-Wams same, just emmmmm how to say BE CAREFUL and treat them well =)

[@wardprocter2371]

How would you compare this to Drop 99 classic noir by Meze?

[@ScreaminpirateEDC]

Just because they are in a similar price range, how does the FT1 compare to the DT770 pro x?

[@Musicophile-p5l]

Thanks for the amazing review. Covered all my questions.

[@ilyeshammadi7278]

Great review Joshua. I'm sure you've seen the new SMSL RAW-MDA 1 and was wondering if you can review that one. I think it will fit nicely in the mid-fi system with an Ananda Nano.

[@Christian-cy2pn]

Hi! I just got these, but the pads are too small and touching my ear and make it uncomfortable to wear. I think my ears are touching the drivers as well. Is it any place to buy replacement pads that are deeper/wider? Thanks for the video!

[@imranm3426]

Wondering the same!

[@sibak3r02]

This or the Sundara closed? Since both are similarly priced now.

[@stef-h2r]

do NOT get hifiman closed backs

[@sibak3r02]

​@@stef-h2r can you share why?

[@dbean5174]

@@sibak3r02just look at all of their frequency responses. Enough said.

[@theonewhostonks]

​@@sibak3r02Look up the frequency response graph. To sum it up, it is terrible and all over the place. Avoid Hifiman closed-backs at all costs.

[@julian5675]

​@@sibak3r02 They're widely regarded as some of the worst closed backs on the market. This is especially true for the closed back sundara.

[@CJDilag]

The Fiio FT1 and Aune AR5000 are both great. Have both of these specific to my WFH desk.

[@michaelhametner9780]

best Quality videos in the audio space!! THanks for the review

[@landosazo7506]

great review on the FT1, for the same price, design, and maybe tuning....how does this compare with the Audio Technica M50X? Thanks

[@VIP1852]

would you prefer those over the meze 99 neo?

[@max10hoop]

Yes

[@KentNilsson-o7r]

Got them. Cables are stiff out of box and transport vibrations that induce sound quite much. Try to smothen them by flexing and bend them a little. I bind them together with rubberband under chin to make them quiet (for now).

[@kimmovehkalahti8624]

Waiting for these to be available here in the EU. Gonna be using these mainly for tracking bass guitar. Seems to be crazy value for money!

[@J4nda]

They are and have been available in EU for a while now.

[@soulstart89]

I’m going to be using them for the exact same thing. Add silent practice as well as tracking and recording bass guitar. Like you said they are still on pre order here.

[@soulstart89]

@@J4ndawhere bro? I’ve been looking frequently

[@nexor7809]

@@soulstart89 here in Poland they are available, but for 200$, so im waiting for the price to drop to 150$

[@tonediary83]

@@nexor7809 Which site to buy in EU?

[@MARYOLIONHEART]

I just got themn a week ago and i paired them with my new iBasso DX180, i am so happy with them both :) ...

[@DecimateTheWeak100]

Would you recommend FT1 for metal listeners?

[@cassl7001]

I’ve been listening to metal on them and can confirm that it sounds very good. The extra bass definitely puts the bass and kick drum up a bit but there’s still good separation and punch. The mid bass brings the guitar up to match as well which is helpful. Despite what people say i think the soundstage is impressive for closed backs and helps remove bloat from the middle. If you prefer a more clinical and controlled bass for metal you might not like them but if you want an explosive and punchy bass without sacrificing too much midrange and detail you will enjoy them. I’ve been on a hunt for good closed backs for metal and i’m very picky 😂 Hope that helps

[@mirrorhour365]

im stuck between these or a beyerdynamic dt 770 x le. im just looking for headphones with great bass as I've been using open-backs for quite a while now. im also concerned about the build quality on these, is the leather a good quality leather that wont separate or flake off in the future?

[@mariomario7379]

These > 770s

[@megatherium100]

I'm really happy with the Fiio FT1, have been using it in the office for a couple of months now, did some EQ on this headphone and now it's at a point that it's hitting WAY above it's price range, like ridiculously so. If you take the time to EQ them properly, the bass response becomes less boomy and bloated and becomes incredibly punching while maintaining the weight and body. also took some time to do some adjustments to the midrange and it's no longer shouty at all, really smooth sounding. And what I mean with hitting way above it's price, taking into account the whole package, I think that 9 times out of 10 I would recommend this headphone over the new Focal Azurys, the stock tuning of the Azurys for me, it's just too shouty like unbearably so and the FT1 has a warmer and more punchy base right out of the box, if you take the time to EQ the Azurys then yes it comes into it's own and it's a great headphone, but Fiio is offering you so much with this headphone that I think you have to go to something like a Focal Radiance to get something that's definitively better overall.

[@calvinyip364]

Can share your eq profile?

[@robertusaprilyanto2194]

@@calvinyip364 waiting for this too

[@davegorthuis679]

I also want to know that eq

[@samratgoswami564]

Your eq profile please

[@KevinLopez-rm1cx]

what is the dac/amp he is using at 4:48?

[@zakyfadhlurrohman2825]

I think it's Questyle M15

[@TheJoaovicente]

This vs the MDR-M1? Which is better?

[@nexor7809]

they are for 200$ here in my country in europe would it still be recommended for that price or are there better ones for 200$?

[@Chiva.]

They're actually 500 dollars on amazon where I live. Absolutely crazy.

[@nexor7809]

@@Chiva. where do you live? im from Poland, i ordered them and they arrive tomorrow. In total i paid 203$

[@Chiva.]

@nexor7809 I live in Saudi Arabia, and they're exactly 485 USD. I literally have to wait until Amazon does something about or fill their warehouses here or whatever. Otherwise, I might settle on Meze 99 Neo. Its readily available here. I heard they did a silent review on all Meze 99 models, and they should sound more neutral. How much neutral? I have no idea. But they're not the bass cannons people knew them for.

[@nexor7809]

@@Chiva. yeah here they were out of stock for a week or so, but already restocked idk much about the meze 99 but i heard they are quite different from the ft1 (something about bass being different, yeah) but for 485$? well the ft1 is good.. but i wouldnt pay this much for them. Theres likely at least one better option at over double the price

[@Chiva.]

@nexor7809 FT1 is great according to many reviewers and graphs and frequency responses and all that shenanigans. Probably the best closed back sub 200 USD.

[@classiccj2569]

For someone who's used to consumer headphones such as the Bose QC45s and loves the bass on them, should I get the FiiO FT1 or the Audeze Maxwell? Disregarding price. I have to have closed-back because of my environment. I'm very interested in how planar drivers sound as I saw someone say that it's a game changer.

[@punishthemeatpocket]

I'm in the same camp. Been using wired QC25's for nearly a decade... nothing has moved me to explore other options yet because they are too comfortable!

[@Jzwiz]

People have been scratching their ft1 and finding that the cups arent actually wood but plastic. Any chance youve seen these post?

[@Emi-rd1lk]

I'm looking for potential upgrade over beloved DT 770 (6 years and going strong) , for less than 300 quid. For open sound I'm using Edition XS (which are great but leaking so badly, much worse than other open headphones), so they have to be closed ones with forward midrange and decent bass. What do you think?

[@joefilter2923]

FT1 bass is "palpable" but highs are not as good as XS, which is more balanced. You can't get the satisfying slam as much on XS, nor open well-done highs on FT1 -- so pick your emphasis. I got a little distortion on highs but I'm overly sensitive and love the Sennheiser veil.

[@Emi-rd1lk]

​@@joefilter2923 thx, I'm looking for upgrade over DT770, Hifiman headphones doesn't count here as they are open - I need closed headphones now which would perform better than Beyerdynamic

[@enduser1980]

@@Emi-rd1lk Wow I'm in the exact same position. I used the Beyerdynamic 700 PRO X for a couple weeks but returned them because they were so hot. Got the Hifiman Edition XS on a great deal but I agree they're far too loud. I need a closed back, what have you decided on?

[@Mondrubberduck]

Got the FT5 in my cart for months now. Love warm tonality. Smash or pass?

[@Hijynx87]

If you can eq to get the most out of it.

[@Thepapoyboyz]

How about this vs sundara closed back. On my country sundara close ver. Has similiar price like this headphone. Around $150 for both of them? Anyone has tried both before?

[@swakiswaki5490]

sundara close back is trash .

[@rene_magritte]

I bought the Harmonicdyne Athena based on good reviews. Turned out to be a big disappointment for my ears and preferences. How is this FiiO compared to the Athena?

[@max10hoop]

The FT1 is better in every way over the Athena

[@mohamadanas6203]

Is it better than moondrop bleesing 3? I dont have headphone. I mainly listen to music using iem and desktop speaker

[@graelstream2353]

I play mostly open world games such as the witcher 3 and single player games like FF7 remake, Im currently torn between this one, the beyerdynamic dt 770 pro x limited edition and the Audio technica Apos limited edition. My problem is, Im really new to the scene so I dont think I can buy high end ones. What would work best for my use? Thank you for this objective and subjective take on the FiiO Ft1.

[@lczp]

Get the Fiio, honestly. I own a bunch of beyers, including my favorite, the T1 1st gen, and the fiio put them to shame in tuning coherency and immersion, specially the cheaper ones. Only thing to be aware of is some peaks on the treble that are listener dependent and can be fixed with EQ.

[@graelstream2353]

@@lczp yeah the wood design is quite appealing as well, if ever what can you tell me about the fiio's edge over the Beyer 770 pro LE for open world games sir?would a simple apple or dongle dac be able to drive it?? Looking into more perspective about Fiio sir. thank you for the advice as well!

[@darrencotter8206]

Change the cable to the Meze Audio 99 Series Balanced Headphone Cable. It makes a big difference.

[@pauladrian7999]

This headphones are strange when it comes to soundstage. I’ve listened to my favourite album and they are definitely closer sounding than what I’m used to but in certain circumstances I’ve heard sounds coming from far far far away. For example I was playing no man’s sky and at one point I turned around because I was hearing something behind me but it was actually in the game

[@soldierboy2350]

JB you will always be a gold star and one of the very best to ever do it in the sport of forget that or think otherwise.

[@AlumarsX]

Do the closed Sundara beat these after heavy EQ?

[@BassRacerx]

My current headphones are the Audio Technica ATHa700x no longer made anymore. i love them to pieces. very good sound stage and detail. However they have that "reduced" bass you speak of and i'm looking for a new set of closed back headphones that has more bass. I'm interested in the Audio technica ATH-A990z but not many reviews of those cans out there. Just in decision paralysis on what my next closed back headphones should be. the meze 99 classic/neo gets great reviews so that is what i've been leaning to.

[@max10hoop]

This blows the Mezes out of the water!

[@danieleturrin5625]

Totally disagree, as always. Midrange is fine to me, good timbre and forwardness, just a bit nasal sounding but fixable with eq. Bass is extended but not very punchy (less punch than what a sennheiser 660s2 can offer if runned with an OTL), and it feels a bit loose. Highs are a bit muted in some regions and have some annoying spikes at the same time, because it is not very linear in its FR. Also soundstage is not claustrophobic at all, it is good for a closed back (reminds me a bit of the HD560s soundstage). Lateral imaging is good and front imaging feels poor.

[@lczp]

Aside from soundstage, that is heavily personal and for me is perfectly round and decent sized, I tend to agree with you. The pinna of this headphone puts to shame even kilobuck closed ears that are often raved by the community, and considering it's a closed back I think it's the launch of the year tbh. But yes, the treble can be a bit spicy and the bass a bit exaggerated (I do find it punchy though), which I love. Fortunately it takes very well to EQ and after that retains a level of coherency in tuning that is akin to single DD iems: again, a marvel at this price.

[@danieleturrin5625]

@@lczp perfectly agree. Punchyness is there but also depends on the chain. However, with a bit of EQ based on a tone generator, it can be really incredibile.

[@tylermcbeath5059]

I tested these today and feel the same. I love my metal and guitars felt undistorted in all metal tracks I tested. Even in jazz and edm the bass felt lackluster. There was only song test that amazed me; Hans zimmer’s Seville (the tap dancing song from MI:2). My fiio fh3 iems have been amazing for all music genres but after 5 years are slowly decaying. Daniel if you have any recommendations on headphones I’m all ears.

[@dylansaunders169]

Hey Josh hope this finds you well I’m having a hard time picking my next headphones right now I have a focal elex I really enjoy it but I would like something with a bigger sound stage any suggestions? Thank you

[@ineedyoutostop]

I'm begging Fiio to please make this available in Canada outside of ali express. I would totally buy stuff from Ali express, but headphones are so subjective I'm afraid of needing to return them if I don't like em.

[@Nick_in_the_6ix]

I'm hoping BayBloorRadio to be selling these as they have a few FIIO products in stock. I'm waiting for them too.

[@hifitommy]

Josh, the cables provided have a hard cloth jacket the is quite microphonic. it makes noise as it rubs your clothing and can be distracting in quiet music. otherwise, I feel otherwise this is a home run that reaches ~ 30Hz which is way better than many headphones costing double. i also have the Maxwells and agree with your assessment of them. they reach slightly deeper but feel slightly closed in. comfort of the FT-1 is a big plus, not as good as Zeos colab Eris but the Eris is unacceptably fat in the mid-bass which obscures the mids. the cable on the Eris is wonderful however. the Maxwells are comfy but not nearly as much as the FT-1 or the Eris.

[@KmtS9]

Watching this while using my FT1 😅 Copped mine for $140 and i'm set on closed backs!

[@calvinyip364]

How does it sound? Is the soundstage that cluster phobic? Cause DMS video say it is intimate and grand sounding depends on track. And the instrument separation is good too. So which is true? How does it sound to you? I know sound is subjective

[@xt-cj7jg]

@@calvinyip364 i do good in valorant, that says a lot already lol. im used to not being able to tell where the enemies are but when i got a closed back headphone it was just easier to pin point where they are,

[@essenceofsias]

Hey Josh, video topic for you: I've been scouring YT trying to find my next set of headphones. I think if I could buy one, I'd just pick up a Modhouse Tungsten and forget the rest, but considering that is unobtainium I'm left with a lot of positive reviews for the Arya Organic and the ZMF Bokeh (around $1K cost). Although its closed vs open, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this price point and these "house sounds". Cheers

[@Sjsgdjsb]

Bravo Fiio. We wait for more luxury and top line headphones 😊

[@ragnharrow]

You said the Maxwell sounds better, but can you explain how ?

[@rakshitnasikkar6711]

How does this compares to SIVGA SV021?

[@gertost]

I agree that they feel kinda cheap. But they look beautiful, and sound good. 😊👌

[@fishbarbeque8540]

I have the HE-R9, but I feel like the FT1 has better Isolation, so for me its PERFECT!!!!!

[@joefilter2923]

I liked it much better than R9 and a little better and Philips XR, which was a little flabbier in bass. I have weird hearing in highs (actual ear size mismatch) so XR highs are grainy and FT1 almost distortion. The SONY M1 or MV1 might work better for me with its more relaxed mid-highs.

[@darkpatrix4452]

Fiio FT1 and Beyerdynamic dt770 pro 250 ohm, which one is better? plan to buy between these 2 for gaming and music for the same time

[@D1N02]

Would love to see a comparison with th Austrian Audio Hi-x20. Listening on a Koss ksc75, modded with headband and thicker foams, which does have soundstage.

[@pmpgonzalez]

Better than the Beyerdynamic DT 700 X Pro?

[@nickpelayo3172]

Yes by a lot

[@max10hoop]

​@residentzero Compared to Beyer? Yes, the treble probably sounds pretty distant to you because you're used to Beyer Treble, which is pretty high.

[@DarenLee]

How does the sound signature compares to JT1?

[@znoozaros]

I have plenty of good open-back headphones but I've stuck to my AKG K361 since they were released and the pads are getting extremely worn out and I can't seem to find original replacement pads. The comfort on the K361 is perfect for my head so that's never been an issue and I think I got my headphones from a good batch the adjustment mechanism works way better than on this year's K371 I tried. So should I just upgrade to these or try my luck with aftermarket pads

[@Neneraju1w4]

M50x pads Worked for me

[@GangityBirdity]

First baby. And finally another review on these boys

[@max10hoop]

Been waiting for all the reviewers to get ahold of this!

[@zipel]

Same hahh

[@TheOneCloudless]

I was planning to get the Adam Audio H200 later on for vocal tracking; what does everyone think about these for that? Mainly interested in noise isolation and comfort.

[@Paul-tw3yi]

How would these compare to the Sennheiser HD 599 which are on sale right now for $130?

[@Jzwiz]

Hd 599 regularly go on sale for 90-96 dollars. Even last week they dropped that low. Openbacks lack bass compared to closed but sound more wide and more around you than just being by your ears

[@rayjuodas]

Good review. Bought it after viewing/reading some other reviews of praise, and they felt underwhelming to me. The overall balance seems okay and enjoyable, but on closer inspection highs are quite toy-like = not sizzly and realistic, but more like white-noisy... Overall impression reminded me of Audio Technica A900 that I had years ago, where you can kind of 'hear' the echoy earcups space from inside, and the sound, albeit nicely tuned, feels quite 'plasticy'. I'm returning mine.

[@AyySorento]

I already have so many "wanna buy" headphones on my list. I don't need another 😭. Though, this might get bumped higher up on the list. My current closed backs are the DT 770's and while I love the sound, I hate the cable.

[@ozandogan5469]

I have an Ibasso DC07 amplifier. Will this be enough for headphones?

[@luigismilazzo]

so the k3*1 is better in soundstage? And that nasal audeze? c'mon

[@BucephalusHume]

Got both this and the Maxwell ordered to compare with my Cloud 3 wireless. I also bought Hifiman Edition XS and while they were better in every way except bass to the cloud 3's, they weren't so much better that I felt it was worth sacrificing wireless, noise isolation and bass. I'm particularly curious to see how the Maxwell compares to the cloud 3's, especially considering I wasn't blown away by the XS.

[@antipatik0]

What did you prefer?

[@BucephalusHume]

@@antipatik0 Still waiting on FT1 due to delays. Ended up keeping XS, the more I listened, the more I fell in love with them. Especially because they don't set off my tinnitus as much as other headphones. A simple bass boost fixed any concerns about bass. Had I not kept testing them I'd have not missed them at all and would've happily kept the Cloud 3's (Ignorance is bliss).

[@VitiateTheImmortal]

Ordered one. I couldn’t resist lol

[@ChrisKeyman]

How do you like them?

[@imranm3426]

Anyone try replacing the earpads to larger ones that don't touch your ears?

[@Hijynx87]

I'd listen to the ft1 over the eq preset maxwell any day.

[@audiowithargha]

What mic are you using ?

[@max10hoop]

Probably an SM7-B

[@audiowithargha]

​@@max10hoopIt's a dynamic mic, and the mic can't be seen in the shot.

[@max10hoop]

@@audiowithargha Ah yes, you're probably right

[@notmyself5340]

Can Apple dongle drive these?

[@joefilter2923]

I liked bass slam much better than R9 and a little better than Philips XR, which was a little flabbier in bass. I have weird hearing in highs (actual ear size mismatch) so XR highs are grainy and FT1 almost distort. The SONY M1 might work better for me with its more relaxed mid-highs.

[@calvinyip364]

Can eq fix the problem?

[@Ricer-b4n]

Basically headphone makers and Dac/amp makers are in cohoots to milk more money out of us. Raise the price on headphones, sales tank. Drop the price on headphones and raise the price on dac/amp, payoff reviewers to push them and profits multiply.

[@kevinloo9688]

Was just about to get one

[@XuleXd]

I have the k371 and this one. This destroys the k371. Even in soundstage. I don't know why, but this review seems quite biased...

[@arress2052]

Agreed. I had the K371 and replaced them with these because these are way better.

[@lord5619]

Well i didnt heard K371, but FT-1 for me have almost no soundstage at all and almost no stereo sepraration. Thast one of the negatives of this whole headphone (a minor one, considering the price). When i want some space in cloed-back headphone, my Denon D7200 are just so much better.

[@XuleXd]

@@lord5619 I mean, it's not the AKG 702, but to say that the k361 has better sounds is to be telling a lie.

[@StephenMcGregor1986]

I love my K371s with my Onyx DAC

[@lczp]

​@@lord5619soundstage is a combination of a lot of factors, the most prominent being your ear shape and own htrf. Therefore saying that a headphone has no soundstage for an individual person doesn't mean much, it's not until you see a great sample size stating the same thing that it becomes a tangible fact. For me personally the ft1 has decent soundstage and separation, much more than my iems for instance, and I'd definitely recommend it for gaming

[@routegrey]

That's super impressive for the price.

[@RichardLopez-e1q]

Community needs to know. Purchased on Amazon. Delivered on 8 Dec. Right headphone cup fell off 5 days later

[@szaggasd]

anybody can make a good sounding open back, closed backs are where it's at

[@kirkhamilton775]

Soon as he started talking about sharpness at 6:00, I knew there was an impending Adele reference. its for real lol

[@joshuastephens3926]

Where is the freakin DZ review bro?! It’s been a year since the unboxing. We need to know to buy that $4000 headphone. Lol

[@nickpelayo3172]

Nah there is a reason he hasn't reviewed it. Don't want to get in trouble with Abyss

[@joshuastephens3926]

@@nickpelayo3172 next level thinking right there lol

[@MetaFootballTV]

Sennheiser 569 were the best headphones I've ever had.

[@family1stkicksllc696]

would anyone say it's better than the meze 99 classics

[@max10hoop]

Yes. 99's are bass cannons

[@Chiva.]

​@max10hoop they did a silent review. The Meze 99 classics are no longer the bass cannons people knew

[@Brianuuuu]

You had us at "Cheap"

[@VaalkinTheOnly]

FiiO has been straight killing it for years now, it's crazy-

[@arress2052]

I have these headphones and they are great.

[@Jamie-666]

Fidelio X1 comparison. Open back, cheap, old, V-Shaped, fun and cheap.

[@Burn_In_Oled_On_Purpose]

I hope that sennheiser makes a extract duplicate of the sennheiser hd 600 but there would be only 1 difference and it would be that the headphones are closed back. The same hd 600 drivers, same tuning, same sound signature, same frequency response, same measurements, same intimate vocals, same narrow sound stage, same ear pads, same treble response, same midrange, same timbre and same rolled off bass response. Have all these but in a close back form factor. I stopped using eq and I just prefer the stock tuning and stock ear pads of the hd 600. I use my marble version of the hd 600 when I commute by bus, walking around, running errands, zoom meetings, playing video games, watching movies, listening to music, while being connected to my sony xperia 1 iv 4k resolution android phone headphone jack, samsung 4k resolution chromebook and my windows 11 razer blade 15 with 4k resolution gaming laptop. I use the hd 600 for everything even my fiio x5 1st gen dap. When it comes to visual fidelity, I'm all for 4k resolution even watching 4k content on a 1080p display and 1440p display since I'm already used to viewing 4k since it has become second nature for myself. I mention visual fidelity because it goes hand in hand with audio fidelity. It becomes my end game when they are intertwined or synced together. Audio fidelity are equally as important as visual fidelity. Unfortunately streaming quality has made both audio and visual fidelity a downgrade for the sake of convience.

[@Burn_In_Oled_On_Purpose]

@residentzero The hd 620 looks like a close back version of the sennheiser hd 560s in the 5 series enclosure. Places like best buy, magnolia hifi and guitar center does not have the hd 6 series headphones. These are the only brick and mortar stores that I can shopping at in person to try out headphones since most places are selling bluetooth headphones and earbuds while wired headphones are limited in availability and accessibility in stores and in person. Amazon has too many fake and counterfeit products plus I have my fair share of experiences with with amazon losing products that I have already paid for multiple times. Whenever I call amazon customer service they always tell me that they don't know what happened to the items that I already paid for. It seems like amazon online market place is like the equivalent of dine and dash because they take the money even before making sure the items that have been paid have arrived at the customers place of delivery whether it's the amazon locker, post office or someone's home.

[@Burn_In_Oled_On_Purpose]

@residentzero I wonder if any of the manufacturers have considered using paper cones for the drivers for the bass response and metal tweeters similar to speakers and professional studio monitors like genelec or neumann studio monitor but in both a close back and open back headphones just for the sake of trying it out to hear the difference in sound quality between the close back and open back variants.

[@zipel]

all other reviewers said soundstage is awesome on these, hmm really dud

[@max10hoop]

@@zipel exactly

[@lczp]

Soundstage is heavily personal and include a bunch of factors, more prominently ear shape and htrf. My guess knowing Josh and his taste for the audezes and other more muted pinna headphones, is that the Harman pinna that the ft1 has is too forward in relation to his htrf, making everything more intense and sounding "closer". Considering that, I still would get the Ft1 just because it adheres to the Harman target pinna, which is rhe most correct sounding target based on actual research and population averages (and based upon the decade old consensus in speaker research)

[@zipel]

@@lczp Ordered like 2-3 weeks ago, still waiting

[@Hijynx87]

I actually thought the soundstage was decent for a closed back

[@AgnisRoz]

How would this compare to Meze 99 classics? Not for the price, but for the performance period. I feel they have very similar reviews.

[@joefilter2923]

If Edition XS passed $500 sniff test for build , this passes $150!

[@Smitty_Werbenjagermanjenson]

Sivga SV021 Robin is another great option at $150. Has a "fun" tonality and is extraordinarily comfortable.

[@lord5619]

I have both Robin and FT-1, but FT-1 is just better in almost every way. But Robin was, until FT-1, my most favored budget closed-back and they are still great.

[@Sir_Corgerus]

The robin was unfortunately my worst purchase. The tuning hurts me.

[@the_wobbly_witch]

i got interested in these due to the special driver design, with drivers similar to speaker drivers. can not wait to try these out next month.

[@TheMstwntdLMSV123]

I was finally able to snag a pair after they were out of stock for a while. I can't wait to try them out!

[@m4nc1n1]

How is the FT1 Pro?

[@zorilla0]

As a long time DT 770 user, they seem like the closest rival to the FT1. If a lack of soundstage is a problem, DT 770s are certainly the answer at this price point because they perform about as well as open backs in that area.