The Wait Is Over: The FiiO FT7 Headphone Review Is Here

Aside from DACs, amplifiers, and streamers galore, FiiO does have a few entries into the headphone sphere that are quite popular. Their entry-level closed-back, the FT1, was extremely sought after and sold out as soon as it hit shelves. As for their open-backs, this new midrange model is sure to turn heads. The FiiO FT7 is a $699.99 planar magnetic headphone that promises a wide soundstage, excellent clarity, and audiophile-level detail. Does the sound quality live up to the hype? This review of the FT7 will tell all.

Before you even start listening, the FiiO FT7 impresses with some stellar build quality. The headphone is made from lightweight carbon fiber, with a glossy finish that stands out on a shelf. The suspended headband is held up by adjustable orange sliders, which give a pop of color with the already earthy aesthetic. On top of that, you get a removable cable that is thick and reliable, and all the adapters to give you easy access to any DAC/Amp you may have. This headphone is sturdy, durable, and built to last. The FT7 has a bit of weight but not an oppressive amount. It's comfortable to wear for a long period of time, and the clamping force is just enough to feel sturdy on the head without causing a headache.

The 106mm driver makes the FiiO FT7 have large earcups, which are perfect for fitting right over your ear with no issue. The headphones come with two different earpads - lambskin and breathable fabric - for two different wearing styles. The sound is affected by the change of these earpads, so using both can determine which listening style you prefer.

There are two things people should watch out for with these headphones. While you can change out the cable for an upgrade model with the termination of your choosing, you need to be careful that it fits into the recessed port on the headphone. On top of that, the orange adjustment sliders are a bit stiff and hard to move around. Luckily, the durable build of the FT7 can withstand a bit of force, so you can adjust it easily. 

• Headphone Type: Open planar headphones
• Driver: 106mm proprietary planar driver
• Frequency Response: 5Hz - 40kHz
• Impedance: 25Ω ± 15%
• Sensitivity: 94dB/mW @ 1kHz, 110dB/Vrms @ 1kHz
• Weight: ~427g (excluding cable)
• Earpad Pressure: 4.2N ± 0.3N
• Cable Material: 6N liquid nitrogen frozen mono-crystalline copper cable
• Cable Length: ~3m
• Headphone Cable Connection: Dual 3.5mm TS
• Audio Plug: 4.4mm balanced

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

To kick off the listening portion of the review, let's talk about soundstage, imaging, and the overall signature. The FiiO FT7's soundstage is incredibly wide with layers that expand in height and depth. You get a sound that wraps around you completely, making the listening experience super immersive. I am impressed with the spatial imaging as well, where you can hear the separation between instruments. It was easy to hear all the details across the frequency range, all the way from sub-bass to ultrahighs. The sound reproduction was not completely analytical and natural, so listening sessions were fun with every new track. 

The sound signature of the FT7 was shockingly balanced, despite the sound reproduction being less than natural. The dynamics came through with a punchy bass and glittery highs that had a natural roll off on both ends. It made the sound enjoyable and put you right in the center of everything. The sound is uncompressed on those far ends, so the whole sound signature gets well-rounded treatment for you to enjoy. People who are fans of intense clarity and sharp detail will definitely be fans of the FT7, especially when paired with a nice DAC/Amp device. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

The FiiO FT7 presented a punchy bass that was strong and driving. In an open-back headphone, I would have expected a sound that was a little more subdued or lacking power. Instead, the bass produced a refined sound with a decent amount of body and warmth. There was a fair amount of detail and coloration as well, so you had distinct timbres for instruments that fell in this range. I liked how the FT7 gave you a lot of power out of this range, but it stayed a little subdued, so it wasn't overpowering in any mix. Rock songs had a steady kick, and the bass guitar got a twang that was a nice transition sound to the lower mids. Sub-frequencies even got a bit of rumble in pop and EDM tracks, though they stayed more in the background and were solid supports. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The midrange gets a lot of detail in the FiiO FT7 headphone. The separation in the imaging stands out in this range, where guitars, vocals, and other instruments are uniquely separated so you can hear their distinct tones. The layering that goes far back in the sound signature helps in this range, as you get to listen to the individual zones that these instruments fall into. Despite the separation, the timbres of all these elements blend together and create a nice flow. This range moved forward slightly, and the FT7 created a small V-shape, all while still flowing seamlessly from one range to the next. The textures in this range were second to none; you could accurately make out different instruments as they layered the stereo field. All those layers filtered backwards to create a nice sense of depth, making the FT7 sound signature take an interesting 3D shape. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

The treble in the FT7's frequencies is exceptionally bright and sharp, with excellent detail. The soundstage comes alive in this range, where all the frequencies ring out and disperse naturally without forced cutoff. You can hear the space in a lot of recordings in this range, especially acoustic and orchestral works. Reverbs, both natural and artificial, are well produced to put you right in the middle of the spaces. Horns, strings, and high register vocals all got really nice colorations and lightness, and their timbres never edged on overly aggressive. There is a certain softness to the instruments that makes them enjoyable, but the detail and clarity never wavers. I liked listening to orchestras and large ensembles, as the high frequencies were bright and fun to listen to in any track. 

With the FiiO FT7, I used a couple of different DAC/Amp devices to see which had the best synergy. The FT7 is not very hard to drive, so a lot of devices proved to be good pairings to go along with it.  During my testing, I used the following: 

• iFi iDSD Valkyrie
• FiiO QX13
• Campfire Audio Relay
• FiiO BTR17

All of these devices proved to be good matches for the FT7. I found the best synergy to be between the FiiO devices, which makes sense for the headphones coming from FiiO as well. I really liked how powerful the QX13 was to bring the FT7 to a new level, and the BTR17 was a good Bluetooth alternative. iFi and Campfire also gave some good warmth to the FT7, and the Valkyrie's filters worked well to complement the balanced sound signature. 

The FiiO FT7 is an exemplary headphone with a ton of potential in the audiophile community. Between the vast soundstage and the highly precise detail, the FT7 produces an excellent listening experience. If you're looking for your next reference headphone, this may not be the one; still, you'll be in for a great listening session regardless. People who like more entertaining sound rather than analytical will definitely be a fan of this headphone. I would definitely recommend trying the FT7 out and seeing if this should be the next upgrade for your audiophile collection. 

The FiiO FT7 is available today at Audio46.