Short answer: the Focal Azurys. It ranks #251 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $449; the FiiO FT5 ranks #281, rated 3.4/5, and costs $499.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick the Focal Azurys: A preference score of 70 with only 2.29 dB of deviation from the Harman target makes this a reasonably smooth closed-back, and the midrange from 200 Hz to 3 kHz sits within about 1 dB of target so vocals and guitars sound natural. The tradeoff: An 11.9 dB dip near 9.7 kHz takes the edge off cymbals and sibilance, and treble overall sits about 1 dB under target, so the top end is a little dull and closed in.
What the FiiO FT5 does well: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. Watch for: Presence sits about 3.7 dB low with a 9.4 dB dip near 10.3 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the Focal Azurys. It is rated higher for sound quality than the FiiO FT5 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
A preference score of 70 with only 2.29 dB of deviation from the Harman target makes this a reasonably smooth closed-back, and the midrange from 200 Hz to 3 kHz sits within about 1 dB of target so vocals and guitars sound natural.
Amazon $449.00 eBay
Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Focal Azurys | FiiO FT5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $449.00 | $499.99 |
| Ranked | #251 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #281 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 67 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.29 dB standard deviation | 2.77 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.73 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic | 1 x 90mm planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 26 ohms | 36 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB SPL/mW | 96 dB/mW |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (306 g) | 1 lbs (456 g) |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 7Hz - 40kHz |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Focal Azurys from aden, boizoff, daemonxar, elrics, gadgetrytech, kuulokenurkka, listener and superreview; the FiiO FT5 from gadgetrytech, kr0mka, kuulokenurkka, sai, superreview and vsg, all via squig.link.
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