Introduction

FiiO had a great 2023 with lots of impressive product launches and its debut into the so-called “FiiO HiFi Desktop Setup 1.0 Version” which comprised of new product lines from the Chinese audio brand. Take the FiiO R7 desktop streamer/DAC/amp for example, or the FT3 open-back headphones going for a warm sound compared to the usual bass-deficient dynamic driver sets on the market at the price point. In fact, I maintain the FiiO FT3 is extremely underrated—the 350 Ω version anyway, the 32 Ω version isn’t as well tuned. So when FiiO started teasing a planar magnetic set later in 2023, I was immediately intrigued to see whether this would follow the ongoing trend of FiiO headphones doing something different and doing it well too.

The naming scheme might make you think the FiiO FT5 is an updated version of the dynamic driver FT3 and yet we already know this is not the case. The only thing to consider here is the FT5 is positioned above the FT3 in terms of pricing but there’s more different about them than there are similarities. The FT5 is an open-back, over-ear planar magnetic set which clearly goes for a cleaner aesthetic compared to the more aggressively-designed FT3. The ear cups and pads are larger to accommodate the larger drivers and this will be good news for those who found the FT3 somewhat cramped around the ears. We also get accessories and build quality on par with much more expensive headphones to where the FiiO FT5 is no doubt going to be of interest to many here. So let’s thank FiiO for providing a review sample to TechPowerUp and begin our coverage with a look at the product specifications in the table below.

Specifications