If you want an open-back planar headphone for spacious home listening, choose HIFIMAN HE400SE; if you need closed wood-cup headphones with two cable options, choose FiiO FT1. For mobile gaming, that distinction matters: the HE400SE’s open-back design suits a quieter room, while the FT1’s solid wood cups make it the more contained choice. Neither is a wireless gaming headset, so both require a wired connection.
HIFIMAN HE400SE vs FiiO FT1 at a Glance
• HIFIMAN HE400SE strength: planar magnetic drivers and Stealth Magnets, designed to reduce distortion and interference. Trade-off: its open-back construction is less suited to noisy spaces or situations where you want to keep sound contained.
• FiiO FT1 strength: solid wood cups, a dynamic driver with a wood-fibre composite diaphragm, and separate 3.5mm and 4.4mm cables. Trade-off: it uses a conventional dynamic driver rather than the HE400SE’s planar design.
• HE400SE connection and fit: wired, over-ear, 32-ohm impedance, 91dB sensitivity, and an adjustable lightweight headband. Its 3.5mm cable includes a 6.35mm adapter.
• FT1 connection and fit: wired, over-ear, and 32-ohm impedance. It includes two 1.5-meter cables, a 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adapter, and a storage bag.
• For a quiet room and planar design, choose HE400SE; for wood-cup construction and cable flexibility, choose FT1.
The HE400SE is an open-back, over-ear planar magnetic headphone. Its design uses conductive layers across most of the diaphragm, while the specially shaped Stealth Magnets are intended to let sound waves pass with less interference. The manufacturer describes the result as lower distortion and accurate, full-range output. Those are design goals, not a guarantee that every listener will prefer its sound, but they make this model appealing if planar construction is part of what you’re looking for.
For mobile gaming at a desk or in a quiet room, the HE400SE’s open-back format and wired 3.5mm connection are central considerations. It has 32-ohm impedance and 91dB sensitivity; the product information specifically presents its sensitivity as a match for low-voltage sources, including portable audio players. A 6.35mm adapter is included for compatible equipment. The adjustable lightweight headband is intended for extended listening, and its listed weight is 385g. That weight is worth factoring in if you’re sensitive to heavier over-ear headphones.
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-14 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
Who should skip it: Skip the HE400SE if you need a wireless headset, a design that keeps listening more private, or headphones intended to block surrounding noise; the listed noise control is none.
The FT1 is a wired, over-ear dynamic headphone with solid wood cups and a 6-centimeter driver. Its diaphragm combines wood fibres with carbon fibre, and its W-shaped suspension is designed to increase the diaphragm’s effective vibrating area compared with conventional designs of the same size. Those materials and structures give the FT1 a different engineering approach from the HE400SE’s planar driver. The supplied information does not establish that one is inherently better sounding, so the choice comes down to which design and practical features better fit your listening setup.
Cable choice is a clear practical distinction. The FT1 comes with a 3.5mm single-ended cable and a 4.4mm balanced cable; both are 1.5 meters long. A 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adapter and storage bag are also listed. Its 32-ohm impedance is shared with the HE400SE, though the supplied specifications do not give an FT1 sensitivity figure for a direct comparison of how easily each reaches a particular listening level. The adjustable headband has 11 notches, with suede fabric covering the contact area.
For mobile gaming, the FT1’s wired connection can suit a compatible device, but the supplied details do not describe a microphone, wireless connection, or gaming-specific controls. Its solid wood cups and included cables may appeal to someone who wants a more traditional, enclosed headphone style and the choice between 3.5mm and 4.4mm connections.
Who should skip it: Skip the FT1 if you specifically want a planar magnetic driver or need confirmed wireless, microphone, or noise-control features.
• Best fit for a quiet room and open-back listening → HIFIMAN HE400SE. Its open-back design is the defining choice; consider where sound can escape and where outside sounds can reach you.
• Best fit for solid wood cups → FiiO FT1. The wood enclosure gives it a distinct physical design, paired with a dynamic driver.
• Best for a stated low-voltage-source match → HIFIMAN HE400SE. Its 91dB sensitivity is specifically highlighted for portable audio players. The FT1’s sensitivity is not provided, so there is no apples-to-apples sensitivity comparison.
• Best for choosing between 3.5mm and 4.4mm cables → FiiO FT1. It includes both, plus a 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adapter. The HE400SE includes a dual-sided 3.5mm cable and a 6.35mm adapter.
• Best if planar magnetic construction is your priority → HIFIMAN HE400SE. Its diaphragm and Stealth Magnet design are the main reasons to choose it over a dynamic headphone.
• Best if you want a listed storage bag in the box → FiiO FT1. The FT1 product details include one; no storage bag is listed for the HE400SE.
• For mobile gaming with a compatible 3.5mm connection → either can work as a wired listening option. Choose based on open-back versus wood-cup design, and remember that neither product’s supplied details establish a microphone or wireless play.
• For a more adjustable headband specification → FiiO FT1. Its headband is described as having 11 adjustment notches; the HE400SE is described as adjustable and lightweight without a notch count.
Start with your surroundings. The HE400SE is explicitly open-back, so it makes more sense for a quieter place where you are comfortable with sound not being sealed in. The FT1’s solid wood cups may better suit someone seeking a more contained over-ear format, but the provided information does not specify a noise-isolation rating. Neither model lists active noise control.
Next, check the connection your device supports. Both are wired headphones with 3.5mm connections and 32-ohm impedance. The HE400SE includes a 3.5mm cable and 6.35mm adapter; the FT1 provides separate 3.5mm and 4.4mm cables, along with a 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adapter. A 4.4mm plug is useful only if your source has a compatible output. For mobile gaming, confirm that your phone or gaming device has a compatible headphone connection; these models do not list a wireless option.
The physical fit may decide the contest for long sessions. HIFIMAN calls the HE400SE’s headband lightweight and adjustable, while its listed weight is 385g. FiiO specifies an 11-notch adjustment range and suede fabric where the headband contacts the head, but does not provide a weight in the supplied details. Those are meaningful design differences, though they cannot predict individual comfort on their own.
Finally, keep the intended use in view. Neither spec sheet lists a microphone or gaming controls, so don’t assume either will handle voice chat without separate equipment. Search terms such as “voice assistant bone conduction headphones for mobile gaming,” “best fast charging in ear earbuds for mobile gaming,” and “best neckband headphones for mobile gaming” describe different kinds of products and features. These two choices are wired over-ear headphones; neither is bone-conduction, an earbud, or a neckband, and neither lists fast charging or a voice assistant.
In my opinion, I’d choose the FiiO FT1 for mobile gaming if I wanted wood cups, an adjustable notched headband, and both 3.5mm and 4.4mm cable options. Its included adapter and storage bag add practical flexibility for different wired setups. I’d choose the HIFIMAN HE400SE instead when planar magnetic construction and an open-back design matter more. My pick is the FT1 for the broader cable choice, provided your device supports the connection you plan to use.
Both are wired over-ear headphones, and either may suit listening with a compatible device connection. The HE400SE is open-back; the FT1 offers solid wood cups and two cable types. Neither product information sheet lists a microphone or wireless connection.
Do the HE400SE and FT1 need an amplifier?
Both are listed at 32 ohms. HIFIMAN also describes the HE400SE’s 91dB sensitivity as suitable for low-voltage sources such as portable audio players. The supplied FT1 specifications do not include sensitivity, so they do not support a direct comparison of drive requirements.
The HE400SE uses a planar magnetic driver and has an open-back design. The FT1 is a dynamic headphone with solid wood cups and a wood-fibre composite diaphragm. Those are different approaches; the specifications alone do not establish which one will sound better to an individual listener.
The FiiO FT1 includes 3.5mm and 4.4mm cables, both 1.5 meters long, plus a 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adapter. The HE400SE includes a dual-sided 3.5mm cable and a 6.35mm adapter. Check that your device has the matching headphone output before choosing.
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