[Listening test] Carry-on FH50 - open, wired, folding headphones

Product: Carry-on FH50 - dynamic semi-open wired & folding headphones
Manufacturer: Carry-on - UK/China
Approx. price: ∼ €/$20
Reviewer: Lucio Cadeddu - TNT-Audio Italy
Reviewed: July, 2026

Foreword

On the recommendation of one of our readers, we came across these Carry-on FH50 headphones and decided to put them to the test, especially considering the large number of satisfied customers and the excellent reviews they have received.

The manufacturer, Carry-on, is based in Northampton, England, and is made up of musicians sharing a common goal: designing musical instruments and audio/musical accessories that are compact, affordable, and easy to carry. The brand name itself, Carry-on, clearly reflects this focus on portability. The catalogue is extensive, ranging from actual musical instruments (including folding keyboards!) to microphones, portable speakers, folding MIDI controllers, and much more. The underlying idea is that music should always be something you can take with you, in a bag or backpack. The company offers two headphone models: a semi-open design (the FH50 reviewed here) and a closed-back version (the higher-priced SH100), which will be the subject of a separate test.

A closer look

This wired headphone is a semi-open design, featuring 40mm dynamic drivers. In line with the company's mission, it is fully folding and almost fits in the palm of a hand. It is reasonably comfortable to wear, with soft earcups that are easy to adjust and suitable for long listening sessions thanks to the very low weight (just 144 grams including the cable!). The 180° rotating earcups allow the headphone to lie flat when packed in a suitcase or placed on a table. The cable is thin and flexible, with a total length of 210cm. Inside each earcup there is a relatively thick, dense black felt disc which, fortunately, is removable/replaceable, allowing some sound fine-tuning. The package includes the usual mini-jack to standard jack adapter.

The design is developed in partnership with Blackstar Amplification Ltd., a UK-based company (Northampton) primarily known for guitar amplifiers and related accessories. Manufacturing, inevitably given the very low price point, takes place in China. This FH50 can be purchased either directly from the manufacturer's website or through one of the many on-line retailers, including Amazon (branded as Backstar in Amazon UK). In brief, these are the stated technical specifications:

The sensitivity figure is most likely incorrect, not least because it is specified with a tolerance of ±3dB which, realistically, is the typical variation range for the frequency response, not sensitivity. This kind of carelessness is hardly a good calling card: technical specifications should either be properly understood and published accurately, or not published at all.

Small Package, Big Sound!

The FH50 has been evaluated both in its stock configuration - that is, with the internal felt disc in place - and without the felt, as well as with discs of different materials and thicknesses. Comparisons were carried out not only against our usual higher-end references (including Grado SR325, Fosi i5, Yanyin Canor Pro...) but also against similarly priced headphones, in particular the Sony MDR-ZX110, the Superlux HD681, and the Venture Monk Plus.

After a few quick A/B tests, I decided that its most natural competitor was the Superlux HD681, which sells for around €25&. These two headphones sound very different, and surprisingly good considering their extremely low price. The Superlux is quite open in the upper midrange and treble, making it lively, bright, and even ruthless with recordings that are not properly balanced, whereas the Carry-On FH50 - with its stock felt discs - is more subdued in the top end, almost rounded, warm, and certainly much more forgiving with poor or treble-emphasized material. Neither of them is truly neutral, but the FH50 has the small advantage of being tunable to personal taste. Simply inserting thinner felt discs (e.g., cosmetic pads) helps rebalance the treble, adding sparkle and presence. For the sake of a fair comparison, however, I ultimately chose to listen to it with the stock felt.

Setting treble balance aside - the Superlux being a touch too bright, the FH50 a bit too warm - there are other important differences. In the low frequencies, the Superlux extends with more authority and articulation, while the FH50 delivers a generally fuller bass but also slightly less controlled, with occasional smearing. At first listen it may seem to have more bass, but in reality it is less linear and less clean. Overall, in this part of the spectrum the Superlux is preferable for those seeking maximum linearity combined with depth and control.

In the midrange, the FH50 sometimes appears cleaner and more transparent, allowing vocals to sound more natural and less reproduced. Its presentation is more cohesive and less analytical, whereas the Superlux reveals more of its monitor character, with better separation between instruments. It is difficult to declare a clear winner here: each has strengths and weaknesses.

In the treble, as mentioned, the difference is substantial. The Superlux's brightness reveals more detail, makes cymbals and string instruments sound more metallic, and gives everything a more sparkling character, while the FH50 is better suited to relaxed, non-monitor listening over long sessions. It is harder to chase micro-details, but easier to follow the overall musical flow. In other words: for pro use, the Superlux would be the more appropriate tool, whereas for long, fatigue-free listening sessions the FH50 clearly has the edge.

In terms of dynamics, the Superlux performs slightly better, with a bit more speed and impact. Still, even the most energetic rock remains enjoyable on the FH50 - you won't get fireworks, but the liveliness of more rhythmic and powerful genres is there.

As for soundstage, expectations should remain modest: these are budget headphones, and it shows. The sound stays fairly confined to the earcups, although there is some ability to create a bit of front-to-back movement. The sensation of sound being inside the head is undeniable, but miracles are not to be expected.

Ultimately, these two headphones offer a surprisingly effective way to listen - well - while spending a truly negligible amount of money (even less in the case of the FH50). My overall preference leans slightly toward the Superlux, as it is more transparent and detailed, but for long listening sessions the FH50, perhaps with thinner felt discs, would be my first choice. And of course, in terms of practicality and portability, the FH50 wins hands down.

Some easy DIY

Inside the ear-cups, this headphone uses a thick black felt disc, which is largely responsible for its tonal balance (see photo). Because of its density and thickness, the upper-mid and treble frequencies are slightly attenuated. The good news is that this disc can be removed without any disassembly - you simply pull it out. In its place, you can experiment with similar discs made from different materials, starting with a thinner, less compact felt, moving on to lightweight foam in various thickness, and even trying more unconventional solutions such as cotton pads or other natural fibres, like the ones commonly used for makeup removal. Each option will produce a different sonic character, so it is ultimately up to personal taste to find the one closest to your expectations. It is also possible to remove the felt entirely, but in my opinion the sound becomes overly unbalanced in favour of the upper-mid and treble range.

Remarks & Complaints

Manufacturing & Finish.
The build quality is budget-minded but functional. It certainly doesn't convey an impression of robustness, yet it works and is highly practical. I would have preferred a longer connection cable (it's 2.1m) and ideally a detachable/replaceable one. Sensitivity also appears lower than stated, and a headphone amplifier - or even a simple dongle DAC to boost a smartphone's output - may be required.
Sound.
With the stock felt, the FH50 sounds somewhat closed; without felt, a touch too open. Fortunately, different damping solutions can be tried, though I would encourage the manufacturer to find a proper middle ground so buyers aren't forced to experiment. In practice, the tonal balance is, as mentioned above, customizable. It is not particularly precise nor especially transparent, and both micro- and macro-dynamics leave something to be desired. I would have preferred a bass response that was more linear and less bloated.

Conclusions

The price is extremely low - it's not uncommon to find it for just €13-14, essentially the cost of a pair of unbranded ear-buds. Considering this, it becomes genuinely difficult to be critical or identify major flaws. In reality, it has no intolerable shortcomings and actually sounds better than one would expect, especially if you're not looking for a monitor-type presentation but something suited to long, pleasant evenings spent with good music. I'll stress once again that today it is possible to achieve surprisingly good sound quality while spending amounts that would once have been unimaginable.

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