AblePlanet SH180GRM-SI170GR vs Fluid Audio Focus at a Glance
• AblePlanet SH180GRM-SI170GR, biggest strength: it's a plain, wired, over-the-ear headphone with passive sound isolation listed as its noise-control approach — no software, no setup, no charging, just plug in and listen.
• AblePlanet SH180GRM-SI170GR, biggest trade-off: 12 ounces on your head is a real weight, the enclosure is plastic, and the published details are thin — no driver size and no cable spec, so you're buying on design intent rather than a feature list.
• Fluid Audio Focus, biggest strength: 50mm dynamic drivers paired with the bundled dSONIQ Realphones software, which gives you virtual mixing rooms, modeled monitor choices and EQ shaping — a genuine mixing toolkit, not just a headphone.
• Fluid Audio Focus, biggest trade-off: the semi-open back (Fluid's own description calls it semi-closed) leaks sound both ways, noise control is listed as none, and a 3 m straight cable is desk furniture, not pocket gear.
• Buy the AblePlanet if you want one sealed-feeling pair for listening, practice and general computer use, especially if fit around a bigger head is your main worry. Buy the Focus if you mix, master, podcast or game at a desk and want a light, detailed reference with software to go with it.
The AblePlanet is the more traditional object of the two. Over-the-ear cups, a headband, a wired connection, 32 ohms, 20 Hz–20 kHz, and sound isolation as the stated noise-control method. That combination is aimed squarely at musicians and casual listeners who want the world to get a little quieter when they put headphones on. At 32 ohms it's an easy load for a laptop jack, a phone dongle, a keyboard, a small mixer or a practice amp — you don't need a dedicated headphone amplifier to get sensible volume out of it.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-20 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
Who should skip it? Anyone who needs a featherweight. Twelve ounces is heavy for a headphone, and long sessions will make that known. Skip it too if you want a mixing reference or software tools — there's none here — or if you need published cable and jack details before you commit, because the specs don't give you any.
The Focus is a different animal. Fluid Audio built its reputation on studio monitors, and this is that thinking pushed into a headphone: 50mm dynamic drivers with the description promising a detailed, responsive presentation, a semi-open back for a wider sense of space, and 225 grams of weight. It's also a system — the dSONIQ Realphones software comes with it and gives you virtual mixing rooms, modeled professional monitors including Fluid's own FX Series, and EQ and sonic adjustment options.
That makes it a desk tool. If you record, mix, master, edit podcasts or game with a headset-style setup, the combination of big drivers, a long 3 m straight cable and software correction is genuinely useful. The 3.5 mm jack keeps it compatible with interfaces, laptops and controllers, and the low weight means long sessions are less of a strain on the crown of your head — a real consideration if you're shopping specifically for a big head and plan to wear them for hours.
The honest trade-offs are about where you can use it. Semi-open headphones leak — audio escapes outward and room noise comes in — and Fluid lists noise control as none. That's not a defect, it's the design, but it means the Focus is a poor choice for a noisy room, a shared office, a train or anywhere you'd be bothering people nearby. And if you want the software benefits, you'll be doing some setup on a computer rather than just pressing play.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for sound isolation → AblePlanet SH180GRM-SI170GR. Passive isolation is its stated approach; the Focus offers none.
• Best for mixing and mastering → Fluid Audio Focus. 50mm drivers, semi-open staging and the Realphones software suite are built for exactly that job.
• Best for a big head, everyday listening → AblePlanet SH180GRM-SI170GR. Over-ear cup geometry, a headband carrying the weight, and no software or cable clutter to manage.
• Best for noisy rooms and shared spaces → AblePlanet SH180GRM-SI170GR. Open-back leakage makes the Focus a bad neighbour.
• Best for podcasts, gaming and streaming → Fluid Audio Focus. The long cable, the low weight and the software EQ give you more to work with on a desk.
• Best if you want zero setup → AblePlanet SH180GRM-SI170GR. Wired, 32 ohms, nothing to install.
• Best if published specs matter to you → Fluid Audio Focus. Driver size, cable length, jack size and weight are all stated; the AblePlanet's sheet is thinner.
For the big-head shopper this article is really written for, I'd buy the AblePlanet SH180GRM-SI170GR. It's the pair that behaves like a normal headphone — over-ear, 32 ohms, isolating, wired, nothing to configure — and the headband-and-cup layout is the friendlier shape when fit is your sticking point. I'd accept the 12-ounce weight and the sparse spec sheet as the cost of that simplicity. In my opinion the Fluid Audio Focus is the better product for studio work, and it's the one I'd recommend to anyone mixing on a laptop, but it isn't the pair I'd hand someone who just wants headphones that fit.
It's the right style — over-ear cups that surround the ear rather than press on it, with the weight carried by the headband. No cup dimensions or adjustment range are published, so treat fit as something to verify, not a guarantee.
The Fluid Audio Focus, clearly. Its 50mm dynamic drivers, semi-open design and the bundled dSONIQ Realphones software with virtual rooms and monitor models are all aimed at mixing. The AblePlanet is a musician's listening and isolation headphone.
No. Neither product lists water or sweat resistance in its details, so I wouldn't treat either as the best waterproof head phones for big head — if you need rain or gym protection, look at a model that explicitly states it.
Both are listed for adults, and neither spec sheet mentions a bass emphasis — the Focus in particular is described as detailed and responsive, which is a mixing tuning, not a consumer bass boost. If you're searching for deep bass kids headphones for big head, these two aren't the shortlist.
I don't quote prices here, because they move and this is a spec-based comparison. Use the "Check latest price on Amazon" button on this page for the current figure on either model before you decide.
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