Sound Quality
The new FiiO FT5 headphone is well-balanced with fairly good dynamics, tonality, and imaging. It provides a cohesive sound with good body and fullness. Additionally, it offers good technical performance for the price, but it’s not fantastic.
It has an impedance of 36Ω, making it easy to drive, but optimal performance requires sufficient power for the 90mm drivers, which is best achieved with a proper desktop system. Portable systems can work as well, but only if they are reasonably powerful.
Bass
The bass response of the FT5 depends on the earpads you use, as each affects the bass performance considerably. With the suede pads, the bass is heavily mid-bass oriented, recovers and impacts slowly. There’s a great mid-bass body, but the decay is a bit too long and the sub-rumble is missing. There’s good punch, good enough texture, and nice resolution here but I honestly didn’t so much like the bass presentation with suedes.
With the leather pads, the bass becomes quicker, with lesser impact and focus in the mid-bass but with better sub-rumble and kick. It’s a tighter bass with better PRaT and it recovers quicker. The decay here is good, although the texture of the bass takes a slight hit when compared to the suede set-up. I would prefer this leather pad setup in every scenario, but I’m sure there would be cases that suit better to the suede pads.
In general, the FT5 offers a good amount of bass, appealing to those who enjoy warmer sounds. The mid-bass performance with the suede pads is especially noteworthy. However, the bass, regardless of the pads used, could have been quicker and clearer with more depth and better decay. At times, the bass felt a bit hollow and dispersed, leading to a lower midrange that felt overly full, with a mid-bass hump sensation.
Midrange
Starting with the suede pads, the mids have a warm and thick romantic timbre. However, the suede pads can make the mid-bass a bit too strong, which results in a lack of clarity, especially in the lower-mids. Despite this, there is fairly good resolution and separation. The tonality is very pleasing with the suede earpads, as the mids sound organic and full with this setup.
The leather earpads enhance the clarity and spaciousness of the presentation but reduce the body and fullness of the mids. Yet, the soundstage and imaging are more realistic and precise, while still sounding natural, fluid, and smooth with good positioning. The vocals have a good definition and timbre, although the instruments and vocals can be a bit shouty at times. Overall, the sound is realistic and lively, and the tonal accuracy is good. I preferred the leather pads in the mid-section as well. However, the clarity and transparency could still be improved, since I expected a better performance. Nevertheless, the mid-range is easy to listen to, with good body and definition.
Treble
When suede pads are used, the treble is very smooth and forgiving, and may even be rolled off. On the other hand, leather pads provide a more balanced treble with a better level of consistency. The extension is nice, but it is not exceptional.
The treble presentation can be described as relaxed but well-defined. It reproduces the treble crisply but without any harshness. The highs are detailed, and there is plenty of definition. If you prefer your treble to be crisp and effortless, the FT5 is the perfect choice. Please note that the impressions mentioned here are only for leather pads.
The highs are nicely extended, with good timbre in this region. The openness and clarity of the treble are quite good for the price. In general, the treble transparency is better than what is available in the mid-range, with a natural and realistic delivery.
Overall, when leather pads are used, the FT5 delivers good treble performance, with a suitable balance, definition, and articulation. Yet, it’s not spectacular in terms of detail, crispiness or brightness.
Page 1: Info, Package, Design, Build, Comfort
Page 3: Technical Performance, Comparisons, Conclusion
