Overview

The FiiO FT7 is an open-back, wired over-ear headphone built around a 106mm planar driver that FiiO designed and makes in-house. It's for listeners who want the scale and deep, effortless bass of a full-size planar, plus fine detail, in a carbon fibre headphone that weighs only 427g.

The driver's 1μm PET diaphragm carries FiiO's patented multi-layer coating of 24K gold and pure silver for sound that's detailed yet rich. A dual-sided push-pull magnetic circuit uses 18 N52 neodymium magnets per driver (9 on each side) with up to 1.5T of flux, and FiiO's patented uniform magnetic field design rounds the magnet corners so the whole diaphragm is driven evenly, cutting breakup and distortion. The traces are applied with a 28nm-grade vacuum process, and FiiO aged the driver in its labs for over a year. A natural zebrawood grille lines up with the magnets to reduce reflections, and the frequency response reaches down to 5Hz.

Much of the frame is lightweight, high-strength carbon fibre for comfort over long sessions. Two pad sets are included: lambskin for clear, wide, detailed sound, and breathable fabric for a more atmospheric sound and fuller vocals. The 4.4mm balanced cable uses monocrystalline copper cryogenically treated at -192°C with PFA insulation, and comes with 4.4mm to XLR-4 and 4.4mm to 6.35mm adapters and a linen storage bag. The FT7 is Hi-Res Audio certified.

Simcoe Audio Video Insight

The FT7 is built for a dedicated listening setup. It ships with a 4.4mm balanced cable only, so it suits a balanced desktop DAC/amp or a player with a 4.4mm output, and the included adapters cover amps with a 4-pin XLR or 6.35mm jack. Try both earpad sets, since FiiO tunes them differently, and give it a quiet room: as an open-back headphone, it lets sound in and out.

More Info

Why the FiiO FT7 Stands Out

Buyer's Guide

Who It's For

• The Desktop Listener: Has a balanced DAC/amp and a quiet listening space.
• The Bass-Depth Seeker: Wants the scale of a 106mm planar driver.
• The Long-Session Listener: Wants a light, carbon fibre full-size headphone.

How It Compares

The FT7 sits above FiiO's FT5 planar with a larger 106mm driver, a gold and silver coated diaphragm, push-pull magnets, and a lighter carbon fibre build (427g versus about 456g). The FT5 is easier to use from portable gear thanks to its swappable 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs.