If you want an open-back planar design for spacious, detail-focused listening while fishing on shore, choose FiiO FT5; if you need closed-style wooden-cup headphones for a more contained everyday listening setup, choose FiiO FT1. Neither model has active noise canceling or a wireless connection, so I would not treat either as purpose-built fishing gear. The choice comes down to their different driver designs, construction, and included cable options.
• FiiO FT5: Its 90mm planar magnetic drivers and open-backed design are the main draw; the trade-off is that an open back lets surrounding sound in and music out.
• FiiO FT1: Its dynamic driver and solid wood cups offer a different, more enclosed over-ear design; the trade-off is a narrower listed frequency range than the FT5.
• FT5 connectivity: It comes with interchangeable 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs, plus adapters for 6.35mm and XLR-4 connections; it remains wired.
• FT1 connectivity: It includes separate 3.5mm and 4.4mm cables; it is also wired, and its listed impedance is 32 ohms versus 36 ohms for the FT5.
• Choose FT5 if you want an open planar headphone and flexible connection options; choose FT1 if you prefer wood-cup construction and a dynamic-driver design.
The FT5 is the more distinctive pick for someone who wants to explore planar magnetic headphones. Its 90mm drivers use a 6μm diaphragm and 20 neodymium magnets per driver. FiiO lists a frequency response of 7Hz–40kHz and sensitivity figures of 110dB/1Vrms at 1kHz and 96dB/mW at 1kHz. Those specifications make the FT5 the more ambitious option on paper, though they do not guarantee that every listener will prefer its sound.
The open-backed design is central to the decision. It is intended for listening where a sense of openness matters, but it is not a way to shut out nearby activity. At a quiet desk or in a calm room, that may suit someone who wants an open headphone. For fishing near other people, around traffic, or anywhere you need to hear what is happening, the design also lets outside sound reach your ears. It is not a noise-canceling solution, and the wired connection does not offer freedom from a cable.
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Updated: 2026-10-15 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
The FT1 takes a different route: a dynamic driver, solid wood cups, and a diaphragm made primarily from wood fibres with carbon-fibre material. The listed driver size is 6 centimeters, impedance is 32 ohms, and frequency response is 20Hz–20kHz. Its W-shaped suspension is designed to increase the diaphragm’s effective vibrating area compared with conventional designs of the same size. Those are meaningful differences from the FT5’s large planar drivers, not proof that one will automatically sound better to every listener.
The FT1’s headband uses a ball-slide adjustment with 0–11 notches, and the contact area is covered in suede fabric. It includes two 1.5-meter cables, one with a 3.5mm plug and one with a 4.4mm balanced plug, along with a 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adapter. That makes it a practical option for someone choosing between common wired connections and who likes the look and materials of wood-cup headphones.
The FT1 is the one I would consider if you want a dynamic-driver alternative to the FT5, with solid wood cups and a straightforward cable set. For fishing, it should not be mistaken for bone conduction headphones that leave the ear canal open, nor for clip on earbuds that attach around the ear. It is an over-ear wired headphone, so I would reserve it for quiet listening rather than situations where movement, weather, or awareness of your surroundings is essential.
• Best fit for an open-back planar design → FiiO FT5. Its 90mm planar magnetic drivers and open construction are its defining features.
• Best fit for solid wood cups and a dynamic driver → FiiO FT1. Choose it if that construction and driver type appeal more than a planar design.
• Best for the wider listed frequency response → FiiO FT5. Its specification is 7Hz–40kHz, compared with 20Hz–20kHz for the FT1.
• Best for a broad set of included plug and adapter options → FiiO FT5. It has swappable 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs, plus 6.35mm and XLR-4 adapters.
• Best for separate 3.5mm and 4.4mm cables → FiiO FT1. Both supplied cables are listed as 1.5 meters long.
• Best if you want suede included as an earpad option → FiiO FT5. It comes with suede pads as well as protein-leather pads.
• Best if you want an adjustable headband with 0–11 notches → FiiO FT1. Its headband design is a concrete fit-related feature worth considering.
• Best for fishing where you need awareness of nearby sounds → Neither is an obvious match. Both are wired over-ear headphones with no listed noise control; the FT5’s open back especially does not isolate you from the environment.
For the fishing-specific question, I would not buy either expecting noise canceling, water protection, or a secure outdoor fit: none of those features is listed. Searches for noise canceling sleep headphones for fishing may point toward a very different category, but neither FiiO model is described as a sleep headphone or as offering active noise cancellation. The FT5 and FT1 are best judged as wired listening headphones, not as specialized gear for the water.
In my opinion, I would choose the FiiO FT5 if my priority were exploring an open-back planar design, with its larger listed frequency range and more adaptable plug setup. I would choose the FT1 instead if solid wood cups and its dynamic-driver approach mattered more to me. For fishing, I would be cautious about taking either: neither is specified for outdoor conditions or environmental isolation. My recommendation for fishing is to choose neither as purpose-built gear, even though the FT5 is my pick for the more feature-rich wired listening setup.
Neither is presented as a fishing headphone. Both are wired, over-ear designs without listed noise control, and neither data sheet specifies outdoor protection. The FT5 is open-backed, so it is particularly unsuitable if you are seeking isolation.
No noise-canceling feature is listed for the FT5. Its open-backed design allows surrounding sound to remain part of the listening environment; it should not be confused with active noise-canceling headphones.
The FT5 uses 90mm planar magnetic drivers and an open-backed design. The FT1 uses a dynamic driver with solid wood cups. They also differ in their included cable arrangements and listed frequency ranges.
Both include a 4.4mm connection option. The FT5 has interchangeable plugs and additional adapters, while the FT1 includes a separate 4.4mm cable alongside its 3.5mm cable. Check the current price on Amazon if cost is part of your decision.
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