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Are These Affordable Audiophile Headphones Too Good to Be True?

The rising hi-fi maker claims it is “the most affordable planar headphone in the world.”

Black over-ear headphones with mesh speaker grills resting on a colorful book with blue, yellow, red, and gray sections.Fiio
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By Tucker Bowe

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Fiio continues to churn out hi-fi gadgets … and this one potentially seems like it could be too good to be true.

Specifically, the popular budget hi-fi manufacturer has announced the Jade Audio JT7, which it’s calling “the most affordable planar headphone in the world.” And yes, they’re quite inexpensive.

Fiio Jade Audio JT7

Black over-ear headphones with mesh ear cups and padded headband, branded with "FiiO" logo.
Fiio claims the Jade Audio JT7 is its “most ambitious planar headphone to date.”
Fiio

Without getting too into the weeds, headphones with planar magnetic drivers can achieve high fidelity over a wider frequency range with extremely low distortion. Basically, they sound significantly better than most headphones with dynamic drivers (which is most headphones), but are just as easy to drive.

The downside is that planar magnetic drivers can be quite expensive. As an example, Fiio announced the FT7 earlier this year. At $800, they’re among the most affordable open-back planar magnetic headphones you can buy.

Black over-ear headphones with mesh ear cups resting on a colorful geometric-patterned book.
The over-ear, open-back headphones are designed for burgeoning audiophiles.
Fiio

A hi-fi entry point

Fast forward to the present day, and Fiio’s latest pair of open-back headphones with planar magnetic drivers, the Jade Audio JT7, costs just $120. Yep, you read that correctly.

According to the brand, they “designed to allow music fans to step into high-fidelity territory for the first time.”

Black over-ear headphone with mesh grille and "dodeaudo" logo on the headband.
At 318 grams, Fiio says they are one of the lightest planar headphones ever designed.
Fiio

Developed completely in-house by Fiio, the Jade Audio JT7 features an ultra-large (95 × 86 mm) planar driver and a push-pull magnetic architecture.

This promises to deliver excellent sound, according to the brand, with “a natural, expansive soundstage previously reserved for much larger and more expensive planar headphones.”

Black over-ear headphones with padded headband and detachable audio cable with gold-plated 3.5mm connectors.
The JT7 comes with a detachable 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced cable.
Fiio

Lightweight, travel-friendly

The Jade Audio JT7 have a few other perks. They have a foldable design, making them more travel-friendly than most audiophile headphones. And at just 318 grams, Fiio is also claiming that they are one of the lightest planar headphones ever designed.

Additionally, the earpads and Velcro headband cushion are both removable and replaceable, ensuring that the headphones can be upgraded over time (although Fiio hasn’t specified how much replacing these parts will cost).

Black over-ear headphones with mesh ear cups and padded headband, branded "dodeaudio.
The Jade Audio JT7 are available now from Fiio’s website.
Fiio

Price and availability

Fiio’s Jade Audio JT7 planar magnetic headphones cost $120 and are available now from the company’s website. They come in finish: black.

About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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