If you want a convertible wireless headset for calls and listening, choose Rand McNally ClearDryve 220; if you need wired, closed-back headphones for home or studio listening, choose FiiO FT1. For swimming, choose neither: neither product is described as water-resistant or made for use in water.
Rand McNally ClearDryve 220 vs FiiO FT1 at a Glance
• Rand McNally ClearDryve 220’s strength: Bluetooth 5.0, active noise cancellation, and a convertible single-ear or stereo design; trade-off: it relies on a rechargeable battery, with a stated average life of 20 hours.
• ClearDryve 220 suits people who move between calls and audio, especially in noisy work settings.
• FT1 suits listeners who want a wired over-ear headphone for home, studio, or recording use.
• For swimming: neither is a suitable pick based on the listed features; neither sheet identifies water protection.
The ClearDryve 220 is the more flexible choice if your day includes calls as well as music, talk radio, or podcasts. Its defining feature is the convertible design: it can be used as a single-ear headset or changed into stereo headphones by replacing the headpad with a second ear cup. That gives it two distinct roles without requiring a separate call headset and listening headphone.
For calls, the product uses dual microphones, with the listed feature describing ambient-noise reduction of up to 95%. That may appeal to professional drivers or anyone taking calls around background sound. Its active noise cancellation is aimed at making listening easier in louder environments, while accessible audio controls are intended to reduce the need to handle a phone. Bluetooth 5.0 gives it wireless connectivity, and a 3.5 mm jack offers a wired option. The stated Bluetooth range is 10 meters.
The battery figures matter if you plan to use it through a long workday: average battery life is listed as 20 hours, and charging takes two hours. There are also five preset EQ settings described, including options aimed at vocal clarity, bass emphasis, and reducing boominess. That makes the headset particularly relevant to spoken audio, not just music. Its listed weight is 2.3 ounces, and it uses memory foam in the rounded enclosure.
Who should skip it: Skip the ClearDryve 220 if you want a purely wired listening headphone, or if you need a product specifically described for swimming or water exposure.
The FiiO FT1 is a wired, closed-back over-ear headphone built around a different priority: home, studio, and recording listening rather than mobile calling. It has no listed Bluetooth connection, so there is no wireless battery routine to manage, but the cable does tether you to the connected device. The package includes detachable 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced cables, each listed at 1.5 meters, plus a 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter and a storage bag.
Its design puts emphasis on the ear cups and diaphragm. The cups use North American black walnut, while the diaphragm is described as a wood-fiber composite incorporating carbon fiber. FiiO also specifies a W-shaped independent suspension design for the driver. Those construction details make the FT1 a distinctive option for someone who values a wired listening setup and materials beyond standard plastic housings. They are design facts, not a guarantee that every listener will prefer its sound.
The adjustable steel-ball slide rail headband has 0-to-11 notches, and the headband contact area is covered in suede fabric. The stated frequency range is 10 Hz to 40 kHz, and the driver size is 6 centimeters. The FT1 is listed at 0.99 kg, a relevant consideration if you expect to wear it for extended sessions or carry it around regularly. Its sound control is described as sound isolation, not active noise cancellation.
Who should skip it: Skip the FT1 if you need wireless calls, a microphone-focused headset, active noise cancellation, or headphones identified as suitable for swimming.
• Best for wireless use → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. Bluetooth 5.0 lets it connect without a cable, and it also has a 3.5 mm jack for wired use.
• Best for switching between calls and stereo listening → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. Its single-ear headset can be converted into stereo headphones by changing the ear-pad arrangement.
• Best for call-focused features → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. Dual microphones and the stated ambient-noise reduction are directly relevant to calls in noisy surroundings.
• Best for active noise cancellation → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. The FT1 lists sound isolation, which is a different approach and is not specified as active cancellation.
• Best for a wired home or studio setup → FiiO FT1. Its included 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm cables support wired listening, and the package includes a 6.35 mm adapter.
• Best for detachable cable choices → FiiO FT1. It comes with two 1.5-meter cables with different connector types; the ClearDryve 220’s main draw is its wireless, convertible format.
• Best for a listed battery runtime → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. It specifies 20 hours of average battery life, though that runtime depends on charging and battery use.
• Best for swimming → Neither. The supplied details do not identify either headphone as water-resistant or intended for swimming, so I would not choose one for pool use.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-18 · 14 min read · Independent comparison
Buying Considerations
The FT1 makes more sense when a cable is acceptable and your main use is listening at a desk, in a home setup, or in a recording context. The two included cable terminations and the adapter are useful if your source has different headphone connections. Its wooden ear cups and composite diaphragm are notable construction choices, while the adjustable headband offers multiple notches for fit. In exchange, the FT1 does not list wireless operation or active noise cancellation, and its stated weight is worth considering for long wear.
Think carefully about what “noise control” means for your use. ClearDryve 220 lists active noise cancellation for listening and dual-microphone noise reduction for calls. FT1 lists sound isolation. Those are not interchangeable claims: one is an electronic cancellation feature, one is microphone-focused noise reduction, and one describes isolation. Neither specification establishes how much noise a particular listener will perceive in every setting.
Swimming is the clearest reason not to buy either based on these details. Neither product is described as waterproof, water-resistant, or designed for pool use. The search for the best foldable on ear headphones for swimming or the best headset for swimming should lead to a product whose water-use suitability is explicitly documented. Likewise, active noise cancelling bluetooth earbuds for swimming describes a different product category and a water-use requirement these two over-ear models do not address.
I would choose the Rand McNally ClearDryve 220 if I needed one device for wireless calls and everyday listening, because its convertible design, call-oriented microphones, and active noise cancellation make it the more adaptable option for that mix. I would choose the FiiO FT1 instead for a wired home or studio setup where its cable options and wood-cup construction fit the job.
For swimming, my recommendation is neither: the listed information does not establish that either model is suitable for water. In my opinion, that use case calls for headphones explicitly designed for swimming.
Yes. It lists Bluetooth 5.0 and a 10-meter Bluetooth range, as well as a 3.5 mm jack for wired connection. Its stated average battery life is 20 hours, with a two-hour charge time.
The FT1 is listed as wired. It includes detachable 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced cables, both 1.5 meters long, along with a 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter.
The ClearDryve 220 lists active noise cancellation for listening and dual microphones with ambient-noise reduction for calls. The FT1 lists sound isolation, not active noise cancellation.
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If you want a convertible wireless headset for calls and listening, choose Rand McNally ClearDryve 220; if you need wired, closed-back headphones for home or studio listening, choose FiiO FT1. For swimming, choose neither: neither product is described as water-resistant or made for use in water.
• Rand McNally ClearDryve 220’s strength: Bluetooth 5.0, active noise cancellation, and a convertible single-ear or stereo design; trade-off: it relies on a rechargeable battery, with a stated average life of 20 hours.
• FiiO FT1’s strength: wired listening with two detachable cable options, including a 4.4 mm balanced plug; trade-off: it has no stated Bluetooth or active noise cancellation.
• ClearDryve 220 suits people who move between calls and audio, especially in noisy work settings.
• FT1 suits listeners who want a wired over-ear headphone for home, studio, or recording use.
• For swimming: neither is a suitable pick based on the listed features; neither sheet identifies water protection.
Rand McNally ClearDryve 220: Who It's For
The ClearDryve 220 is the more flexible choice if your day includes calls as well as music, talk radio, or podcasts. Its defining feature is the convertible design: it can be used as a single-ear headset or changed into stereo headphones by replacing the headpad with a second ear cup. That gives it two distinct roles without requiring a separate call headset and listening headphone.
The battery figures matter if you plan to use it through a long workday: average battery life is listed as 20 hours, and charging takes two hours. There are also five preset EQ settings described, including options aimed at vocal clarity, bass emphasis, and reducing boominess. That makes the headset particularly relevant to spoken audio, not just music. Its listed weight is 2.3 ounces, and it uses memory foam in the rounded enclosure.
Who should skip it: Skip the ClearDryve 220 if you want a purely wired listening headphone, or if you need a product specifically described for swimming or water exposure.
FiiO FT1: Who It's For
Its design puts emphasis on the ear cups and diaphragm. The cups use North American black walnut, while the diaphragm is described as a wood-fiber composite incorporating carbon fiber. FiiO also specifies a W-shaped independent suspension design for the driver. Those construction details make the FT1 a distinctive option for someone who values a wired listening setup and materials beyond standard plastic housings. They are design facts, not a guarantee that every listener will prefer its sound.
The adjustable steel-ball slide rail headband has 0-to-11 notches, and the headband contact area is covered in suede fabric. The stated frequency range is 10 Hz to 40 kHz, and the driver size is 6 centimeters. The FT1 is listed at 0.99 kg, a relevant consideration if you expect to wear it for extended sessions or carry it around regularly. Its sound control is described as sound isolation, not active noise cancellation.
Who should skip it: Skip the FT1 if you need wireless calls, a microphone-focused headset, active noise cancellation, or headphones identified as suitable for swimming.
• Best for wireless use → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. Bluetooth 5.0 lets it connect without a cable, and it also has a 3.5 mm jack for wired use.
• Best for switching between calls and stereo listening → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. Its single-ear headset can be converted into stereo headphones by changing the ear-pad arrangement.
• Best for call-focused features → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. Dual microphones and the stated ambient-noise reduction are directly relevant to calls in noisy surroundings.
• Best for active noise cancellation → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. The FT1 lists sound isolation, which is a different approach and is not specified as active cancellation.
• Best for a wired home or studio setup → FiiO FT1. Its included 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm cables support wired listening, and the package includes a 6.35 mm adapter.
• Best for detachable cable choices → FiiO FT1. It comes with two 1.5-meter cables with different connector types; the ClearDryve 220’s main draw is its wireless, convertible format.
• Best for a listed battery runtime → Rand McNally ClearDryve 220. It specifies 20 hours of average battery life, though that runtime depends on charging and battery use.
• Best for swimming → Neither. The supplied details do not identify either headphone as water-resistant or intended for swimming, so I would not choose one for pool use.
Start with where and how you intend to listen. The ClearDryve 220 is designed around mobility and calls: it connects wirelessly, offers controls on the headset, and can move from a single-ear setup to stereo. If you routinely take calls in a vehicle or another noisy environment, those features address a practical need. The battery and its two-hour stated charging time are part of that convenience, but they also mean you have to keep the headset charged.
The FT1 makes more sense when a cable is acceptable and your main use is listening at a desk, in a home setup, or in a recording context. The two included cable terminations and the adapter are useful if your source has different headphone connections. Its wooden ear cups and composite diaphragm are notable construction choices, while the adjustable headband offers multiple notches for fit. In exchange, the FT1 does not list wireless operation or active noise cancellation, and its stated weight is worth considering for long wear.
Swimming is the clearest reason not to buy either based on these details. Neither product is described as waterproof, water-resistant, or designed for pool use. The search for the best foldable on ear headphones for swimming or the best headset for swimming should lead to a product whose water-use suitability is explicitly documented. Likewise, active noise cancelling bluetooth earbuds for swimming describes a different product category and a water-use requirement these two over-ear models do not address.
My Verdict
I would choose the Rand McNally ClearDryve 220 if I needed one device for wireless calls and everyday listening, because its convertible design, call-oriented microphones, and active noise cancellation make it the more adaptable option for that mix. I would choose the FiiO FT1 instead for a wired home or studio setup where its cable options and wood-cup construction fit the job.
For swimming, my recommendation is neither: the listed information does not establish that either model is suitable for water. In my opinion, that use case calls for headphones explicitly designed for swimming.
Yes. It lists Bluetooth 5.0 and a 10-meter Bluetooth range, as well as a 3.5 mm jack for wired connection. Its stated average battery life is 20 hours, with a two-hour charge time.
The FT1 is listed as wired. It includes detachable 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced cables, both 1.5 meters long, along with a 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter.
The ClearDryve 220 lists active noise cancellation for listening and dual microphones with ambient-noise reduction for calls. The FT1 lists sound isolation, not active noise cancellation.
The provided product details do not describe either model as water-resistant or intended for swimming. I would not select either for pool use without clear water-use specifications.
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