If you want lightweight, sealed in-ear listening for zoom calls, choose HiFiGo IEMs; if you need open-back, over-ear headphones for a home listening setup, choose FiiO FT1.
The HiFiGo Explorer is the more practical fit for someone who wants a compact wired earphone and a balanced sound profile. The FiiO FT1 Pro is built around a large planar-magnetic driver and an open-back design, making it the more specialized option for listening at home. Neither product lists a built-in microphone, so neither should be treated as a complete headset for calls.
• HiFiGo Explorer’s biggest strength: Small, lightweight in-ear monitors with a 1DD+2BA hybrid design, included tip options, and a detachable cable. Trade-off: The listed features do not include a microphone, and the in-ear fit depends on finding a comfortable seal.
• FiiO FT1 Pro’s biggest strength: Open-back, over-ear planar-magnetic headphones with a stated frequency range reaching 40kHz. Trade-off: Its open-back form is intended for home or studio use, not a sealed or isolating listening experience.
• Choose HiFiGo if you want a compact wired earphone for music, commuting, gaming, or listening from a phone, laptop, or tablet.
• Choose FiiO if you want an over-ear headphone for a home listening or studio-oriented setup and prefer an open-back design.
The HiFiGo Explorer is a wired in-ear monitor with one dynamic driver and two balanced-armature drivers in each earpiece. Its stated sound approach is balanced: controlled bass, natural-sounding mids, and smooth treble rather than an intentionally heavy or bright presentation. The listed frequency range is 10Hz to 30kHz, with 26-ohm impedance and 108dB sensitivity. Those figures and the product description point to an earphone designed to work from everyday devices without requiring an external amplifier.
Its in-ear design is the main practical advantage over the FiiO. Each side weighs 4.43g, and the package includes six pairs of silicone tips in S, M, and L sizes. A snug tip fit matters for both comfort and the intended bass response, so the choice of tip is part of getting the sound right. It also comes with a detachable 0.78mm 2-pin cable and a carrying case. For someone who wants a small wired option for music, casual gaming, or a commute, that combination is straightforward and portable.
There are limits to what the listed details support. The Explorer has no stated noise-control feature and no listed built-in microphone. That makes it a questionable choice if your priority is a headset with microphone for zoom calls, especially if you need callers to hear you through the earphones. It may still serve as an audio-listening device during a call when paired with a separate microphone, but the product details do not establish call-microphone capability. Skip it if you specifically need an all-in-one headset or dislike inserting earphones into your ears.
The FiiO FT1 Pro is an over-ear, open-back headphone with a planar-magnetic driver. Its listed frequency range is 20Hz to 40kHz, and the product description emphasizes a large 95-by-86mm flat driver, a thin diaphragm, and a design intended to support detailed sound reproduction. Those are specification-led reasons to consider it for focused music listening at home or a studio-style desk, rather than for someone seeking a tiny everyday earphone.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
The open-back construction is a defining trade-off. It does not create the same enclosed, in-ear fit as the HiFiGo Explorer, and the product lists no noise-control feature. In practical terms, I would choose it for a quieter personal listening area, not as a way to block out nearby noise. Its over-ear form may suit someone who prefers headphones that sit around the ears, but the listed weight is about 374g, so it is a considerably larger object to wear and carry than the 4.43g-per-side Explorer.
The FT1 Pro is not described as a call headset either. Its listed connection is a wired 3.5mm jack, with no built-in microphone specified. That makes it a poor match if the central requirement is a microphone for work calls, children’s online classes, or frequent video meetings. Choose it for home listening where the open-back design and planar-magnetic driver are the draw; skip it if you need isolation, portability, or a confirmed call microphone.
• For zoom calls when you already have a separate microphone → HiFiGo Explorer. Its compact in-ear format is easier to place at a desk than a large over-ear headphone, but neither model lists a built-in mic.
• For a home listening setup → FiiO FT1 Pro. It is an open-back, over-ear planar-magnetic headphone, with a stated range extending to 40kHz.
• For a lightweight option → HiFiGo Explorer. Each earpiece weighs 4.43g; the FiiO is listed at about 374g.
• For a choice of included ear tips → HiFiGo Explorer. Six pairs of silicone tips across S, M, and L give you options for fit and seal.
• For an open-back design → FiiO FT1 Pro. That format is the point of distinction, though it is not the right pick if you want an enclosed listening experience.
• For a detachable cable → HiFiGo Explorer. It uses a detachable 0.78mm 2-pin cable; the FiiO’s listed connection is a wired 3.5mm jack.
• For the best fast charging ear clip headphones for zoom calls → neither. Both are wired products, and neither is described as an ear-clip or fast-charging model.
• For waterproof open ear headphones for zoom calls → neither. The Explorer is an in-ear monitor, while the FT1 Pro is an open-back over-ear headphone; neither product sheet lists waterproofing.
In my opinion, I would choose the HiFiGo Explorer for everyday listening because it is lightweight, comes with several tip sizes, and is described as easy to drive from common devices. For zoom calls, I would pair it with a separate microphone rather than assume it can transmit my voice. I’d choose the FiiO FT1 Pro instead if my priority were open-back, over-ear listening at home and I did not need a built-in mic or noise isolation.
Neither product’s listed features specify a built-in microphone. If your calls require voice pickup, plan on using a separate microphone or a different headset with confirmed mic support.
The FiiO FT1 Pro is the more explicitly home-oriented choice: it is an open-back, over-ear planar-magnetic headphone. The HiFiGo Explorer is also wired and suitable for personal listening, but its in-ear design is more compact.
The Explorer is listed as easy to drive and compatible with smartphones, laptops, and tablets. It has a 3.5mm connection option; check that your device supports the required wired connection.
No waterproof rating is listed for either model. The HiFiGo is an in-ear monitor, and the FiiO is an open-back over-ear headphone, so neither matches a request for waterproof open-ear headphones.
Marvel
If you want lightweight, sealed in-ear listening for zoom calls, choose HiFiGo IEMs; if you need open-back, over-ear headphones for a home listening setup, choose FiiO FT1.
The HiFiGo Explorer is the more practical fit for someone who wants a compact wired earphone and a balanced sound profile. The FiiO FT1 Pro is built around a large planar-magnetic driver and an open-back design, making it the more specialized option for listening at home. Neither product lists a built-in microphone, so neither should be treated as a complete headset for calls.
• HiFiGo Explorer’s biggest strength: Lightweight in-ear monitors with a hybrid driver design, several included tip options, and a detachable cable. Trade-off: The listed features do not include a microphone, and comfort depends on finding a good in-ear fit.
• FiiO FT1 Pro’s biggest strength: Open-back, over-ear planar-magnetic headphones with a stated frequency range reaching 40kHz. Trade-off: Its open-back form is intended for home or studio listening, not a sealed or isolating experience.
• Choose HiFiGo for compact wired listening from a phone, laptop, or tablet.
• Choose FiiO for a home listening setup where you want an open-back, over-ear headphone.
The HiFiGo Explorer is a wired in-ear monitor with one dynamic driver and two balanced-armature drivers in each earpiece. It is described as having controlled bass, natural-sounding mids, and smooth treble rather than an exaggerated bass or bright presentation. Its listed frequency range is 10Hz to 30kHz, with 26-ohm impedance and 108dB sensitivity. The product details say it can be used with everyday devices without an external amplifier.
Its in-ear design is the main practical advantage over the FiiO. Each side weighs 4.43g, and the package includes six pairs of silicone tips in S, M, and L sizes. Getting a snug fit matters: the product information notes that tip fit affects bass response and sound isolation. The Explorer also includes a detachable 0.78mm 2-pin cable and a carrying case. That makes it a compact option for music, commuting, or casual gaming.
The trade-off is important for anyone shopping for calls. The Explorer has no listed built-in microphone, and its features do not specify noise control. It may work as the listening part of a call setup if you use a separate microphone, but it is not documented as an all-in-one headset. Skip it if you need confirmed voice pickup or do not like in-ear headphones.
The FiiO FT1 Pro is an over-ear, open-back headphone with a planar-magnetic driver. Its stated frequency range is 20Hz to 40kHz. The product description highlights a large 95-by-86mm driver and a thin diaphragm, with a design intended to support detailed sound reproduction. That makes it the more specialized option for focused music listening at home or at a studio-style desk.
Open-back construction is its defining trade-off. It does not provide the enclosed in-ear fit of the HiFiGo, and no noise-control feature is listed. I would choose it for a quieter personal listening area, not to block out surrounding noise. It weighs about 374g, so it is also a much larger option to wear and carry than the Explorer, whose individual earpieces weigh 4.43g.
The FT1 Pro is not described as a call headset. Its listed connection is wired with a 3.5mm jack, and no built-in microphone is specified. That makes it a poor fit if you need a microphone for work calls, online classes, or frequent video meetings. Choose it for home listening if the open-back format and planar-magnetic driver appeal to you; skip it if your priorities are portability, isolation, or a confirmed microphone.
• For zoom calls with a separate microphone → HiFiGo Explorer. Its compact in-ear format is easy to place at a desk, but neither model lists a built-in mic.
• For a home listening setup → FiiO FT1 Pro. It is an open-back, over-ear planar-magnetic headphone with a stated frequency range extending to 40kHz.
• For lightweight listening → HiFiGo Explorer. Each earpiece weighs 4.43g, while the FiiO is listed at about 374g.
• For several included ear-tip options → HiFiGo Explorer. Six pairs of silicone tips in S, M, and L give you options for fit and seal.
• For an open-back design → FiiO FT1 Pro. That is its key distinction, though it is not the choice for an enclosed listening experience.
• For a detachable cable → HiFiGo Explorer. It uses a detachable 0.78mm 2-pin cable; the FiiO is listed with a wired 3.5mm connection.
• For the best fast-charging ear-clip headphones for zoom calls → neither. Both are wired, and neither is described as an ear-clip or fast-charging model.
• For waterproof open-ear headphones for zoom calls → neither. The Explorer is an in-ear monitor and the FT1 Pro is an open-back over-ear headphone; neither has a listed waterproof rating.
My Verdict
FAQ
Neither product’s listed features specify a built-in microphone. If your calls require voice pickup, plan on using a separate microphone or choosing a headset with confirmed mic support.
The Explorer is described as compatible with smartphones, laptops, and tablets, and as easy to drive without an external amplifier. It has a 3.5mm connection option; check that your device supports the wired connection you plan to use.
No waterproof rating is listed for either model. The HiFiGo is an in-ear monitor, while the FiiO is an open-back over-ear headphone, so neither matches a request for waterproof open-ear headphones.
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