Looks like fiio is releasing their first planar this week, what are your's toughts?
Fiio FT5
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Heard it at CanJam London and is a very open sound, quite detailed with punchy bass. I like it. If they price it right it will be a success.
at what price would you buy them for? i hope it is in the same range as the sundara or less
Any impressions from CanJam Los Angeles, or is still a prototype?
Where did you see that it was going to be releasing soon? I can barely find any information about them online
I don't speak any German but I downloaded the audio and translated it using OpenAI Whisper. I didn't see anything about a release date. It talks about how it's a pre-production model and that he tested it again this week, but nothing about a release date. But maybe I missed something? Here's the transcription: https://pastebin.com/rykw6ijj
I think nothing is comfirmed yet. But time will see. But i am willing to say it will be a hifiman sundara killer
I am German. He received this pre-production unit from a (quite reliable) distributor in Germany and not directly from Fiio. He has no information on the release date, specifications and final pricing (although he always assumes 500 EUR). This is not his final review (takes some more days) but a first impression video. Seems to be a significant step up from the FT 3 and shares some of the planar characteristics of the Hifiman Arya Organic which he recently reviewed (quite a bold statement). However he stresses that they are not in the same league. Quite positive impressions in total. This reviewer is actually often quite enthusiastic but also very honest in his reviews. I do not share his music taste which seems to be more metal/rock (and he also listens to that very loud) but I do trust him.
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EQlizer
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FIIO FT5 ~ FIIO's first headphone with planar drive driver 最終更新日: 2023.09.27
FIIO FT5 was announced at an audio event held in Nanjing, China on September 24th. At the same time, the product overview was also published on Weibo. In this article, I will summarize the contents of the FIIO FT5 announcement translated into Japanese. However, this time there are many technical terms and there may be some mistakes in the translation, but I have translated it so that you can understand the general meaning, so please read until the end.
FIIO FT5 is a headphone equipped with a 90mm planar driver. FIIO has already released headphones equipped with a 60mm dynamic driver called FT3, and FIIO FT5 is FIIO's second wired headphone. This is FIIO's first headphone equipped with a planar driver. FIIO also points out the ease of driving as a feature of this FT5. It can also be driven by portable products such as DAPs and dongle-type DACs.
FIIO FT5 release date/price
Release date: Late October 2023 (China) *Unknown in Japan Price: 2,999 yuan (approximately 60,000 yen) *Unknown in Japan
The price of FIIO FT5 was 2999 yuan, an increase of about 1000 yuan compared to FT3. Many headphones with planar drive drivers are priced close to 100,000 yen, but the 60,000 yen price is a surprise for FIIO. I would like to expect Japanese prices based on FT3's track record, but with the yen currently depreciating by nearly 150 yen, it is possible that prices will be higher than Chinese prices. Our blog estimates that it will be around 70,000 to 85,000 yen, but it may be cheaper depending on the dollar-based list price.
FIIO FT5 spec information
FIIO FT5 has a sensitivity of 96dB/mW and an impedance of 36Ω. According to FIIO's explanation, although they are headphones with a planar drive driver, they can also be driven well with the KA5 dongle-type DAC
FIIO FT5 accessories
FIIO FT5 has a wide range of accessories, just like FT3. The cable has a 3.5/4.4 interchangeable plug, and the headphone side has a 3.5mm/2-pole plug, making it easy to re-cable. It also seems to come with an XRL/6.35 conversion adapter and headphone case.
The FIIO FT5 project started in August 2022. Planar drive drivers are still less mature in design than dynamic drivers. This is FIIO's first planar drive driver development. FIIO FT5 took over a year from the start of the project to its launch. Because the headphone structure follows the FT3 architecture, most of the energy for the FT5's development has been focused on research and development of the planar driver, including magnetic circuit design and diaphragm material development. All design, research and development of FIIO FT5 is done in-house at FIIO.
FIIO FT5's first public appearance was at a Japanese exhibition in July 2023. Since then, FT5 has undergone three major version upgrades. This has been upgraded to create the most balanced sound, including the material of the diaphragm.
(Blog supplement) It has been said that there have been three major version upgrades since FT5, which was exhibited at Potafest held in Akihabara in the summer, so it seems to be almost completely different. On the other hand, the Japanese distributor informed us that the specifications were for the product version at Potafest held in September, so it seems to match that. I'm looking forward to FT5, which has been updated after receiving user feedback for about 3 months since its release.
Headphones equipped with planar drivers have multiple magnets stacked together, which inevitably increases the weight of the headphones. For this reason, FIIO adjusts the weight with the headphone shell material while guaranteeing sound quality. FIIO FT5 is made of magnesium alloy, this material has 64% volume of aluminum alloy. The use of magnesium alloy reduces the weight of the FT5 and provides a comfortable listening experience for extended periods of time.
FIIO FT5 uses a 90mm planar driver. Compared to traditional dynamic drivers, planar drive drivers can apply a uniform force to the diaphragm during vibration, and the acoustic energy is evenly distributed throughout the diaphragm unit, reducing the effects of distortion caused by the diaphragm material. I will not receive it. FIIO FT5's planar driver uses a 6μm film sheet. This film is much thinner than dynamic driver units. Typical dynamic drivers are 22μm~. Of course, this 6μm thickness is not the thinnest among planar driver headphones. The thinnest diaphragm in FIIO's research and development was 1.5μm. The reason FIIO chose 6μm is to achieve balance.
Theoretically, the thinner and lighter the diaphragm, the higher the sensitivity and the better the high range. However, due to the elasticity of the diaphragm material itself, strong tension tends to lead to distortion. After dozens of debugging and sample verifications for FIIO FT5, we finally settled on a thickness of 6μm, and by strengthening the coating process on the diaphragm, we were able to obtain a well-balanced sound.
Next, for the voice coil, after repeated tests, we decided to use a lightweight aluminum alloy as the coil material and mix it with silver to increase conductivity. As a result, we succeeded in reducing the weight of the FIIO FT5's diaphragm in line with the acoustic target, making it easier to drive the diaphragm and achieving accurate high-frequency resolution. The weight of this material is negligible and the emphasis is basically on its coating. Typical diaphragm coating materials are silver, aluminum, gold, and titanium, with the order of density being aluminum < titanium < copper < silver < gold. FIIO FT5 applies the high-end production technology of the semiconductor industry's 28nm chip-level process to the diaphragm coating, which not only results in a more delicate finish, but also matches the overall thickness of the coil and makes the weight even. By ensuring that the diaphragm has greater precision and better consistency, the acoustic performance is more accurate.
While ensuring comfort (in terms of weight), the FIIo FT5 has a total of 20 magnets on one side, 11 on the inside of the diaphragm and 9 on the outside, for a total of 40 magnets. I am. By arranging the magnets in a well-balanced manner, the aluminum-plated alloy coils are reasonably distributed in the magnetic field, and by completing the design of the matrix magnetic circuit system, the left and right diaphragms exert a balanced force. This ensures consistent amplitude across the diaphragm and reduces distortion. Furthermore, we achieved the following three things. ① Achieves highly efficient sound energy conversion performance. ② Adopts 20 1.5T high magnetic flux density N52 neodymium magnets on each side to support the flat diaphragm with strong and abundant driving force. ③ Magnets and both sides. By arranging the coils in parallel, the conductive coils are evenly distributed in the magnetic field, maximizing the headphone driving force and fully demonstrating the accurate acoustic performance of flat panel headphones.
This is a summary of the FIIO FT5 announcement.
How was that. I'm really looking forward to this product. I'm also planning to purchase FIIO FT5, so I'm planning to review the actual device. We hope you continue to enjoy our blog.
Thank you for reading until the end. If you found this article helpful, please follow us.
https://earl4proxyvoting.com/archives/7164
FIIO FT5 was announced at an audio event held in Nanjing, China on September 24th. At the same time, the product overview was also published on Weibo. In this article, I will summarize the contents of the FIIO FT5 announcement translated into Japanese. However, this time there are many technical terms and there may be some mistakes in the translation, but I have translated it so that you can understand the general meaning, so please read until the end.
FIIO FT5 is a headphone equipped with a 90mm planar driver. FIIO has already released headphones equipped with a 60mm dynamic driver called FT3, and FIIO FT5 is FIIO's second wired headphone. This is FIIO's first headphone equipped with a planar driver. FIIO also points out the ease of driving as a feature of this FT5. It can also be driven by portable products such as DAPs and dongle-type DACs.
FIIO FT5 release date/price
Release date: Late October 2023 (China) *Unknown in Japan Price: 2,999 yuan (approximately 60,000 yen) *Unknown in Japan
The price of FIIO FT5 was 2999 yuan, an increase of about 1000 yuan compared to FT3. Many headphones with planar drive drivers are priced close to 100,000 yen, but the 60,000 yen price is a surprise for FIIO. I would like to expect Japanese prices based on FT3's track record, but with the yen currently depreciating by nearly 150 yen, it is possible that prices will be higher than Chinese prices. Our blog estimates that it will be around 70,000 to 85,000 yen, but it may be cheaper depending on the dollar-based list price.
FIIO FT5 spec information
FIIO FT5 has a sensitivity of 96dB/mW and an impedance of 36Ω. According to FIIO's explanation, although they are headphones with a planar drive driver, they can also be driven well with the KA5 dongle-type DAC
FIIO FT5 accessories
FIIO FT5 has a wide range of accessories, just like FT3. The cable has a 3.5/4.4 interchangeable plug, and the headphone side has a 3.5mm/2-pole plug, making it easy to re-cable. It also seems to come with an XRL/6.35 conversion adapter and headphone case.
The FIIO FT5 project started in August 2022. Planar drive drivers are still less mature in design than dynamic drivers. This is FIIO's first planar drive driver development. FIIO FT5 took over a year from the start of the project to its launch. Because the headphone structure follows the FT3 architecture, most of the energy for the FT5's development has been focused on research and development of the planar driver, including magnetic circuit design and diaphragm material development. All design, research and development of FIIO FT5 is done in-house at FIIO.
FIIO FT5's first public appearance was at a Japanese exhibition in July 2023. Since then, FT5 has undergone three major version upgrades. This has been upgraded to create the most balanced sound, including the material of the diaphragm.
(Blog supplement) It has been said that there have been three major version upgrades since FT5, which was exhibited at Potafest held in Akihabara in the summer, so it seems to be almost completely different. On the other hand, the Japanese distributor informed us that the specifications were for the product version at Potafest held in September, so it seems to match that. I'm looking forward to FT5, which has been updated after receiving user feedback for about 3 months since its release.
Headphones equipped with planar drivers have multiple magnets stacked together, which inevitably increases the weight of the headphones. For this reason, FIIO adjusts the weight with the headphone shell material while guaranteeing sound quality. FIIO FT5 is made of magnesium alloy, this material has 64% volume of aluminum alloy. The use of magnesium alloy reduces the weight of the FT5 and provides a comfortable listening experience for extended periods of time.
FIIO FT5 uses a 90mm planar driver. Compared to traditional dynamic drivers, planar drive drivers can apply a uniform force to the diaphragm during vibration, and the acoustic energy is evenly distributed throughout the diaphragm unit, reducing the effects of distortion caused by the diaphragm material. I will not receive it. FIIO FT5's planar driver uses a 6μm film sheet. This film is much thinner than dynamic driver units. Typical dynamic drivers are 22μm~. Of course, this 6μm thickness is not the thinnest among planar driver headphones. The thinnest diaphragm in FIIO's research and development was 1.5μm. The reason FIIO chose 6μm is to achieve balance.
Theoretically, the thinner and lighter the diaphragm, the higher the sensitivity and the better the high range. However, due to the elasticity of the diaphragm material itself, strong tension tends to lead to distortion. After dozens of debugging and sample verifications for FIIO FT5, we finally settled on a thickness of 6μm, and by strengthening the coating process on the diaphragm, we were able to obtain a well-balanced sound.
Next, for the voice coil, after repeated tests, we decided to use a lightweight aluminum alloy as the coil material and mix it with silver to increase conductivity. As a result, we succeeded in reducing the weight of the FIIO FT5's diaphragm in line with the acoustic target, making it easier to drive the diaphragm and achieving accurate high-frequency resolution. The weight of this material is negligible and the emphasis is basically on its coating. Typical diaphragm coating materials are silver, aluminum, gold, and titanium, with the order of density being aluminum < titanium < copper < silver < gold. FIIO FT5 applies the high-end production technology of the semiconductor industry's 28nm chip-level process to the diaphragm coating, which not only results in a more delicate finish, but also matches the overall thickness of the coil and makes the weight even. By ensuring that the diaphragm has greater precision and better consistency, the acoustic performance is more accurate.
While ensuring comfort (in terms of weight), the FIIo FT5 has a total of 20 magnets on one side, 11 on the inside of the diaphragm and 9 on the outside, for a total of 40 magnets. I am. By arranging the magnets in a well-balanced manner, the aluminum-plated alloy coils are reasonably distributed in the magnetic field, and by completing the design of the matrix magnetic circuit system, the left and right diaphragms exert a balanced force. This ensures consistent amplitude across the diaphragm and reduces distortion. Furthermore, we achieved the following three things. ① Achieves highly efficient sound energy conversion performance. ② Adopts 20 1.5T high magnetic flux density N52 neodymium magnets on each side to support the flat diaphragm with strong and abundant driving force. ③ Magnets and both sides. By arranging the coils in parallel, the conductive coils are evenly distributed in the magnetic field, maximizing the headphone driving force and fully demonstrating the accurate acoustic performance of flat panel headphones.
This is a summary of the FIIO FT5 announcement.
How was that. I'm really looking forward to this product. I'm also planning to purchase FIIO FT5, so I'm planning to review the actual device. We hope you continue to enjoy our blog.
Thank you for reading until the end. If you found this article helpful, please follow us.
https://earl4proxyvoting.com/archives/7164
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rkt31
Headphoneus Supremus
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Significant step up from ft3? But ft3 is dynamic and ft5 is planar. Both can't be compared. Ft3 is already beating many totl dynamic headphones so you can't say ft5 will be step up. In fact planar by nature are less sensitive and to add the salt to injury, they have lower impedance too so you need a powerful yet clean amp for a planar to shine. Still you can't avoid higher amp distortion in amp due to higher current demand by planar. So ft3 is a very good choice at any price. Pair it with mojo 2 or tt2 and you are already in a high end sound territory.
Actually my L&P W4 did drive the FT5 balanced with great synergy at 70/100 volume. There were details,.deep impact bass, great soundstage and bigger then average instrument separation. This was in a noisy show floor, so I believe In a different environment the headphones are even better. Still was a prototype and maybe they have changed/ improved things in the final version.
Well, I am only summarizing the statements of this reviewer for the non-German audience. I do not know which specific quality indicator he refers to when comparing these two headphones.
However, among several other headphones I own the Fiio FT3 (that's why I am curious about the FT5) and agree that it is an excellent choice if you require a relatively sensitive high-impedance dynamic headphone and that it also works quite well with my Mojo2.
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