With an 800 nanometer diamond-coated diaphragm, FiiO’s new FT15 headphones are for the serious audiophile

High-end audio dealer FiiO has just released a new pair of headphones for the ultimate audiophile. In general, three main audio components dictate the sound quality in a set of cans: driver, diaphragm, and build material. The new FT15 model has the best of the best of all three.

First, the drivers are 101mm across. Most over-ear headphones, including the Apple AirPods Max 2s and the Beyerdynamic DT770s, have between a 40 and 50mm driver. 101mm means double the physical space to move the sound waves.

Next, these are planar headphones, which means the diaphragm is suspended by magnets. This keeps it flat instead of being shaped by a conical structure, as is the case with most speakers. This lack of external pressure means the sound will resonate equally at all frequencies rather than being warped at the ends by the forced shape.

Plus, the FT15s have a diaphragm that’s a mere 800 nanometers thin. That’s over 1000 times thinner than 1mm and 86.7% thinner than the previous FiiO generation. The nearly invisible material maintains its structural integrity with a diamond coating, so it will move precisely with the sound without breaking.

Finally, the earcups are made from North American FAS-grade black walnut. Not only does this give every pair an original look, as they were all made with different pieces of wood, but the sound is naturally resonant compared to most headphones made out of plastic or metal. There’s a reason most hi-fi speakers are made of wood. Apply that same logic to headphones.

And yet despite all these highly engineered parts, the carbon fibre headband brings the total weight to just 425 grams, which is less than one pound. Not only will the sound be pristine, but the design is light and comfortable.

The FiiO FT15 is priced at £499, €499.99 and $499.99. Learn more at FiiO.

Harry Levin is a freelance journalist with credits in SPIN, Billboard, MusicTech, Grammy.com, Los Angeles Magazine, and more. His musical journey began 20 years ago with a Led Zeppelin CD. He played jazz trombone through college, produced large-scale electronic music events, and now spends his professional time writing and editing.