Love bass? The FiiO FT1 is untouchable as the best bassy budget headphone

I was looking forward to getting the FiiO FT1 in for review as soon as I saw them – before I read all the glowing reviews about that extended, textured bass that beats headphones several times their cost. Because visually I think the FT1 looks great. They skirt a fine line between a sepia-toned 1970s daydream, and a really, really good Design & Technology school project. And I absolutely love them.

Turns out, they also sound great, and all the hype is still relevant a year and a half after their August 2024 release.

In this review I'm going to be explaining why the FiiO FT1 is my top pick of the best budget audiophile closed-back headphones (and would be for mid-priced headphones too). Read it if you want... or just go buy a pair instead, and start enjoying them as soon as possible.

Sound profile

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Overall, the FT1 has a fun, exciting sound profile built around a well extended bass that both rumbles and packs a punch. But great headphones are not built on bass alone. Without competent mids and well-balanced high frequencies they can sound like soup being pushed through narrow pipes. And that's not how the FT1 sounds...

Bass: Pretty much all commercial headphones have loads of bass, so what's so special about the FT1? It's all about the quality of the bass. Textured, detailed upper bass combined with rumbling lower bass that feels like it's moving you is rare. It's also not often executed well with closed-backs, as the covering reflects sound waves that can muddy things up, producing undefined, bloomy, bloated, untextured bass.

Good bass – FT1 bass – sounds clear, and you can hear the textured pluck of the bass string. It also tries to stand individually amongst the bigger picture of frequencies, instead of acting as a blanket that covers everything. The FT1's bass has both an extended sub bass that you feel and a mid and upper bass that sounds detailed. It doesn't leak into the mids too much, so male vocals aren't drowned out, and lower mids stand out in the mix.

How is this possible? It's thanks to the rather large 60mm driver and solid wood ear cups. The driver pushes a mass of air at your ears, and the wood absorbs and breaks up the sound waves so there is minimal echo. The high-density walnut and beech doesn't vibrate along with the driver, so the bass stays tight rather than getting fuzzy and muddy, as will often happen with plastic cups. End result: awesome bass.

The lower mids are definitely warmed by that big-ass bass, but the transition from bass to mids is done really well. There's detail to be had in the mids in male vocals, cellos and guitars, but don't expect Sennheiser HD 600-level vocal clarity and realism. The FT1 offers warmer, smoother mids. I couldn't hear (or at least, it wasn't brought to my attention) all the vocal artefacts that Erykah Badu makes on Other Side of the Game (lip smacks, breathing and tongue clicks), as I can with other headphones. That means you do miss a certain vocal detail and intimacy with the FT1. And yet the vocals, horns and synths all stand their ground against the monumental bass (which is really something on this track, with these headphones).

Treble: Much like the mids, there is compromise here. This is The Bass Show, and FiiO hasn't gone for a flat-out commercial V-shaped sound where the treble tries to compete with that bass. Instead, the FT1 goes for a combination of clarity and smoothness that is incredibly palatable. I didn't hear any harsh sibilance, but I also didn't get the sharp focus that great treble will bring to the party. It's a polite high end that's relaxed and happy to play a supporting role.

Comfort & build

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Comfort is a bit of an issue for some FT1 users; others have reported getting on just fine. I've used the headphone as my main over-ear headphone for around a month, and I found there was a hot spot that developed right at the top of my head after around 30 minutes of use. The padding of the FT1 is pretty thin, and I don't think it does a fantastic job of distributing or cushioning the weight of the headphone over your head.

However, I like the sound and look of the FT1 so much that I bought a Capra strap from the US-based Capra Audio for $25 (they are sold by third parties in the UK, where I'm based, but I wanted to make sure my money was going to the right person). As soon as I snapped the new 3D-printed comfort strap on, it felt like the headphones were floating over my head – complete comfort.

As for the ear pads, much like the FT1 Pro that I reviewed, they are super big, deep and comfy. They have a leatherette outer part, and a less heat-capturing material that surrounds your ears. The end result is a soft finish that doesn't heat up your ears like buns.

The build is a combination of 1970s quality and pretty bog standard metal work. The wooden cups are beautiful, and with the black leatherette and the basic silver metal, it all combines into a headphone that both looks quality and a bit cheap... it's nothing if not charming!

The aluminium metal looks a little flimsy, like it could easily bend if you get heavy handed with it (I've seen no reports of this actually happening – that's just how they look to me). There's something about this combination of old school class and functional, basic design that really hits with me. I love it – FiiO has clearly put a lot of love into this budget headphone, and it warms me to it even more.

There are microphonic issues (noises when the cable brushes up against clothing), unless I'm wearing a t-shit and not a jumper, and then there's nothing to report. The cable itself is pretty standard quality, and the hard case you get with the headphone is a nice touch, but I certainly didn't take these anywhere with me. That's why god invented IEMs and ANC headphones, after all.

Price, value, competition

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Away from the sound profile, price, competition and value is where the FiiO FT1 shines the most. You see, there's no other closed-back at $160 that's close to it – nothing that competes with its successful sound and its awesome look.

You have the Meze 99 Classic MII – a headphone that I have, and that I enjoy. It's wooden and metal aesthetic is far more chic and polished than the FT1, and that's reflected in the sound too – I really like its warm v-shaped sound profile. It has extra treble bite and similar upper bass to the FT1 , so there's more detail to be had with it. But it retails at more than twice the price of the FT1 at $349. Unless you really want the look and the specific Meze 99 Classic sound (which I totally get), I'd recommend the more laidback FT1 and treat yourself to a Capra strap, and still save yourself $165.

In the sub-$200 price range, there's the closed-back Beyerdynamic 770 Pro. It costs $179 and although I've not tried it, I'm familiar with the infamous Beyerdynamic treble. It's a lot, and definitely too much for me, but if you're immune to massive, piercing treble spikes, then it might be worth checking out. For me, the FT1 brings a smile to my face, and there's enough detail in the mids that I don't concentrate on all the brain cells I'm losing with that lovely low end (as all top scientists agree: bass makes you dumb).

A left field comparison worth making is with the Denon AH-D5200, which was released in late 2018, and which I've had for months. These bad boys retail at $800, though you can get them as low as $400. I really, really like the Denon AH-D5200 because while it has a similar upper bass to the FT1, they swap out sub bass for smoother, more detailed mids and treble. Vocals are far more intimate and richer, with vocals seeming thinner and recessed on the FT1 in comparison. And with the better tuned treble there's a bunch more perceived detail that you just don't get with the FT1.

The only issue? They (can) cost five times more! But if you see them at the $400 mark, the Denon AH-D5200 should be a serious consideration.

Should you buy it?

Yes, you should.

If you like bass.

Unless you're after a neutral-sounding headphone.

But then, just buy the FiiO FT1 anyway. You'll thank me later.