Fiio FT3 (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://www.fiio.com/FT3
After being impressed by the quality of the top-of-the-line Fiio M15S, I was intrigued by what else the audio specialist had to offer. So with the opportunity to test the only over-ear headphones in their catalogue, I was immediately up for the task.
The Fiio FT3 costs $300/€300 and comes with the following items:
Specs of the headphones can be found below:
When unboxing the FT3, I was positively surprised to find the abundance of accessories that Fiio included in the package. These headphones come with replacement earpads (suede and faux-leather), a hard carry/storage case and four audio plugs to increase compatibility. These are not very common in headphone packages, even premium ones like the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro and are very welcome inclusions that I wish were standard in the industry. In particular, the hard carry case makes it easy to store the items as well as to safely carry the headphones around.
The aluminium build not only makes the FT3 look and feel premium but also enables it to be sturdy. The quality touch is supplemented by the leatherette accents on the headband. In addition, the aluminium frame endows a relative lightweight aspect to it, at 391g, which adds to the comfort.
On that front, the FT3 offers decent comfort with adequately padded earpads, and a spring-loaded headband and 3-axis swelling design that enables an easy fit for different head sizes. However, I am not a fan of the rounded earpads that are included. Instead, I would have very much preferred oval-shaped and deeper ones as they allow for more room around the ears. While Fiio included a replacement earpad with a different finish, it might have been better to include earpads of different sizes to accommodate for different preferences and ear sizes.
With the current earcup design and depending on the individual size of your ears, the earpads featured on the FT3 can even press on them. I also found them to not be very glasses-friendly as they don’t allow enough room for glasses to slide past them. Hopefully, these are aspects that Fiio considers and remedies with a new set of earpads. But as it stands, the comfort aspect is a major current limitation of the FT3, especially considering the price.
There are also some other minor mis-steps in the hardware design of the headband. For example, while the completely detachable headphone cable is very welcome as it allows for easier storage and replacement, it does not feature in-line controls. This means that you’ll have to fiddle with the audio source it is plugged to for basic adjustments such as volume control.
Furthermore, while the hard carry case features a compartment to store the headphone wire, you cannot store the headphone while it is wired. You’ll have to detach it and store the cable separately. This adds an extra layer of complexity whenever you need to store/retrieve the headphones.
If you can get past these inconveniences, you will find in the Fiio FT3 a great-sounding pair of headphones which puts the company’s audio expertise on display. The large, 60mm dynamic driver combined with the beryllium-plated diaphragm gasket and 350Ω impedance deliver high quality audio while minimising distortion.
To better appreciate the audio quality that it delivers, a powerful desktop audio unit or even a hybrid one like the Fiio M15S would be recommended. The soundstage output is powerful yet clear and balanced with decent, punchy bass and crisp treble. It enhances the audio experience in every scenario whether it’s to stream your playlist, watch a video or play video games.
In the case of gaming, it is well suited for cinematic or single-player games with great audio scores. For instance, I played the recently-released Fort Solis which has an excellent, atmospheric soundtrack and the Fiio FT3 really added to the immersiveness of the experience. As the headset comes with a handy carry case, the FT3 is also well suited to bring along travels to pair with a handheld console like the Nintendo Switch. With its stable, wired connection, it offers a reliable and high quality audio accessory. However, for competitive gaming, even if it will provide an up-close audio experience, the lack of mic might be a limitation to consider but for single-player games, you can’t go wrong with these.
But if you’d like more affordable and compact earphones, Fiio’s wireless models are also worth looking into. In particular, the Fiio FW3 and Fiio JW1 deliver quality audio (although not on par with the FT3) but take different approaches. The €84 FW3 is a more traditional wireless earbuds with physical controls (which I personally prefer over touch panels for more reliable controls), while the more affordable €30 JW1 takes an open-ear design that can be more appropriate for workouts.
As a premium pair of headphones, the Fiio FT3 delivers a correspondingly premium audio experience. If you decide to put these on, you won’t be disappointed by the faithful and powerful soundstage it outputs. It also packs a quality build and some much-needed accessories that should be standard in the industry. However, it feels wanting on the comfort front given the rounded and relatively small-sized earpads and not totally accommodating for glasses. As this is Fiio’s first over-ear headphones, I hope that they address some of these issues to make a more compelling package with new, larger earpads or at least in the next iteration.
Verdict
- Quality audio output
- Sturdy and premium metallic build
- Detachable cable
- Included accessories
- Rounded earpads
- Not glasses-friendly
- Comfort could be improved, especially considering the price
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View top chatters@Psionic Roshambo sorry but im not that used to listening to non game music