Our favorite budget audiophile brand launches new flagship planar magnetic headphones that aren't so budget but a next-gen 86% thinner diaphragm with 'full-face diamond coating' could make them worth the price for head-fi fans

Date:
Fri, 18 Sep 2026 11:45:21 +0000

Description:
The Fiio FT15 is a flashy new follow-up to the FT5, bringing refinements across the board for a slightly higher price.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Fiio launches FT15 planar headphones with bigger, thinner diaphragm and a lighter weight They're open-back successors to the five-star Fiio FT5 They cost $499 / 499 (about AU$999) but that's not bad for planars Breakout affordable audiophile brand Fiio has been riding high with its debut planar magnetic headphones, launched in 2024, called the FT5 they scored the full five stars in our Fiio FT5 review . The brand clearly thought it was time to revisit the tech, because it's launched a follow-up. No, not the FT6; meet the Fiio FT15.

These new wired open-back headphones bring refinements across the board, including some new internals and a lighter build. Numbers are up (or down, depending on which direction counts as an improvement). The price is up too. The new FT15 cost $499 / 499 (about AU$999), and for comparison the FT5 sold for $449 / 429 / AU$799. So it's not a huge price hike, but given that Fiio
is reliable as a budget brand, it's notable. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

The Fiio FT15 are on sale right away, joining the brand's growing 2026 roster including the KA15 DAC dongle and FG3 gaming headset . Here's why they're exciting to audiophiles who are, well, maybe not quite on a budget, but like to optimize their spending. Thinner, Better, Faster, Lighter (Image credit: FiiO) Fiio decided that its new planar cans needed some spec increases, and
so the driver now measures 101mm (compared to 90mm in the FT5), but most notable is that it's now 800nm thick, which Fiio says is 86.7% thinner than its previous planar driver. You may like My favorite budget audio brand just announced $49 headphones and I genuinely cant work out how I visited elite head-fi brand Audeze and found out exactly why planar magnetic headphones are better for gaming audio than regular dynamic drivers The best wired headphones, all tested by TechRadar's audio experts

That's pretty notable, because the whole thing about planar drivers is that you have a super-thin, super-responsive diaphragm suspended between two magnetic fields, capable of excellent dynamic response and therefore detail.

Fiio also says the driver has a "full-face diamond coating", which is presumably to add stiffness. A much larger, much thinner, super-stiff diaphragm is a very interesting prospect when it comes to both dynamic range and detail in the sound. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from
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The overall design has seen some improvements too. The FT15 is 31g lighter than the FT5, at 425g, using a carbon fiber headband and natural wood
earcups. There are also multiple pairs of earpads in the box, as well as a range of adaptors for 4.4mm, 6.35mm and XLR-4, so it can fit into a range of hi-fi set-ups.

That's doubly true with the FT15s' sensitivity (95dB/mW, and a 24 ohms impedance), and the brand says it was designed to work with a range of dongles, DAPs, amps and CD players including smaller and lighter dongles without external power. Fiio also sells all this kind of tech. Coincidence? I think not.

We gave the FT5 a perfect review, and it's hard to imagine how this range of improvements could result in a lower one, even with a slight price increase but is with anything audio-related, the proof will be in the testing. Stay tuned. The best headphone DACs for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best headphone DACs 1. Best budget USB-C portable DAC: iFi GO Link Max 2. Best budget desktop DAC: iFi Uno 3. Best premium portable DAC: iFi xDSD Gryphon 4. Best wireless DAC: Fiio BTR17 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/headphones/our-favorite-budget-audiophile-bran d-launches-new-flagship-planar-magnetic-headphones-that-arent-so-budget


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