[trellus]

Some hear the X3's differently.
Thank you for your personal perspective.

How does the FT5 sound relative to the LCD-2 Classic? I've heard multiple people call the FT5 "dark" and some compare it to the Audeze house sound.

 

[FullBright1]

How does the FT5 sound relative to the LCD-2 Classic? I've heard multiple people call the FT5 "dark" and some compare it to the Audeze house sound.

Well, "subjectively speaking"..

Ive owned every Audeze Headphone, except for the Maxwell, at least once.
And, its true that the Rosson Rad O founder, created the Audeze Sound. (not everyone knows that...)

So, the FT5, has some of the Audeze upper bass thickness, and midrange, but has a much different type of Treble response.
Most Audeze gear has "bigger" bass then you find with anything created by Beyer, Senn, Hifiman, ... and only ZMF matches it for density.
In some ways, a ZMF is like an Audeze perfected, as Zach has a really good ear regarding tuning = midrange performance.

So, yez, the FT5, is in that "Audeze Sound Camp" except regarding the LCD-1.

Where the FT5 is going to not be able to "do the Audeze sound" is related to the fact thst the FT5's cups and pads are much smaller.
Auideze gets a lot of their "house sound" based in the way their Drivers interact with their Cup size and Pads, which partially explains why the LCD-5, does not sound like an Audeze, and instead sounds like an Abyss Diana V1/V2., yet with a little bit more bass response.

 

[phara0hseye]

It's quite intriguing to opine that a product from a different manufacturer could claim to have the ability to replicate the distinct sound signature of Audeze. When you say the FT5 is not going to be able to "do the Audeze sound" what prompts that?

 

[FullBright1]

It's quite intriguing to opine that a product from a different manufacturer could claim to have the ability to replicate the distinct sound signature of Audeze. When you say the FT5 is not going to be able to "do the Audeze sound" what prompts that?

1.) Different Drivers

2.) The literal physics, regarding the cups and pads. (Size).

So, when i say that the FT5 is "Audeze Like", that is not explaining that its an Audeze.
Its just a nomenclature, the typical "reviewer type of semantics"... ... it a way that reviewers try to provide some frame of reference, regarding how to try to describe a "sound" of a certain headphone.

Reviewers always default to "Senn HD800S" or "Hifiman" or "Audeze" as a sonic sound signature reference, because all audiophiles who spend some money, have heard them, who have been in this game for a while.

You'll always be told..>"well, its not Hifiman Treble".. .or "it does not slam like an Audeze".... or "its not the wide soundstage you get with the HD800'S""....ect, ect... as the same 3 Brands are always used as a sonic context = reference...... when reviewing a new gear.

 

[trellus]

Well, "subjectively speaking"..

Ive owned every Audeze Headphone, except for the Maxwell, at least once.
And, its true that the Rosson Rad O founder, created the Audeze Sound. (not everyone knows that...)

So, the FT5, has some of the Audeze upper bass thickness, and midrange, but has a much different type of Treble response.
Most Audeze gear has "bigger" bass then you find with anything created by Beyer, Senn, Hifiman, ... and only ZMF matches it for density.
In some ways, a ZMF is like an Audeze perfected, as Zach has a really good ear regarding tuning = midrange performance.

So, yez, the FT5, is in that "Audeze Sound Camp" except regarding the LCD-1.

Where the FT5 is going to not be able to "do the Audeze sound" is related to the fact thst the FT5's cups and pads are much smaller.
Auideze gets a lot of their "house sound" based in the way their Drivers interact with their Cup size and Pads, which partially explains why the LCD-5, does not sound like an Audeze, and instead sounds like an Abyss Diana V1/V2., yet with a little bit more bass response.

Excellent, thank you.

That makes the FT5 more interesting to me for sure, as I am a fan of the classic Audeze tuning. I would guess one good aspect of the smaller cups and pads is that the FT5 are lighter than the LCD line (minus LCD-1 of course), although I suppose the smaller pads could potentially affect comfort for some -- my ears are on the large side myself.

 

[FullBright1]

Excellent, thank you.

That makes the FT5 more interesting to me for sure, as I am a fan of the classic Audeze tuning. I would guess one good aspect of the smaller cups and pads is that the FT5 are lighter than the LCD line (minus LCD-1 of course), although I suppose the smaller pads could potentially affect comfort for some -- my ears are on the large side myself.

As i stated in my initial mini-review of the FT5's... their one true downside, is that their cup size is not going to accommodate larger ears.
Absolutely not..... unfortunately.

 

[phara0hseye]

I listened to those songs from the "Deluxe" version release.

In both cases, the songs sound organic, vs wide and epic.
They sound warm and full, vs, airy and euphonic, on the FT5.

So, i have no idea what you use to listen to Florance, but, if you are using any of the Hifiman gear, other then the Susvara, all the HEK's and so forth produce a wider soundstage then is truth.....so, in the case of the FT5, the sound is much more Audeze (thick) , and nothing like a Hifiman Bright.

I hope this helps.

Paula Cole - Tiger is another interesting demo track.

 

[jeromeoflaherty]

For those interested I have posted my review of the FT5:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-ft5.26868/reviews

 

[Shane D]

For those interested I have posted my review of the FT5:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-ft5.26868/reviews

I am not an EQ guy, but they do, yet again, sound interesting.

 

[phara0hseye]

1.) Different Drivers

2.) The literal physics, regarding the cups and pads. (Size).

So, when i say that the FT5 is "Audeze Like", that is not explaining that its an Audeze.
Its just a nomenclature, the typical "reviewer type of semantics"... ... it a way that reviewers try to provide some frame of reference, regarding how to try to describe a "sound" of a certain headphone.

Reviewers always default to "Senn HD800S" or "Hifiman" or "Audeze" as a sonic sound signature reference, because all audiophiles who spend some money, have heard them, who have been in this game for a while.

You'll always be told..>"well, its not Hifiman Treble".. .or "it does not slam like an Audeze".... or "its not the wide soundstage you get with the HD800'S""....ect, ect... as the same 3 Brands are always used as a sonic context = reference...... when reviewing a new gear.

Thank you for the substantive response. Clears things up and makes sense to me in context. Thank you.

 

[Trance_Gott]

For everyone interested my review is online:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-ft5.26868/reviews#review-32333

 

[Shane D]

I was just going to order these but HiFigo just raised their price $100.00US.

I am having no luck! I decided to make a HiFiman purchase last night and their shipping charges are "wonky" on their site.

 

[Terriero]

Excellent, thank you.

That makes the FT5 more interesting to me for sure, as I am a fan of the classic Audeze tuning. I would guess one good aspect of the smaller cups and pads is that the FT5 are lighter than the LCD line (minus LCD-1 of course), although I suppose the smaller pads could potentially affect comfort for some -- my ears are on the large side myself.

As i stated in my initial mini-review of the FT5's... their one true downside, is that their cup size is not going to accommodate larger ears.
Absolutely not..... unfortunately.

Thanks very much to both of you... I crossed it off my list... Comfort is mandatory for me with headphones. I have sold some of them in the past due to issues with comfort and my large ears... Recently, I've also decided not to go with the Emu teaks due to the small inner hole of their pads... So... have to look for brand that look after people with big ears

 

[Beagle]

I just got my FT5 and the cable has the wrong plug on the end. Can’t use a 1/4” adapter to use in my amps.

 

[politel]

In the user manual you can see that you can easily replace the plug.
The 3.5mm adapter is in the bag.