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Final A8000 Review

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Aesthetics and Build Quality:

Final have always known how to make a luxury item, and the A8000 is no different. From the careful packaging, to the flawless finish of the stainless housings, everything feels very solid and made with care. Inside of the A8000 you have a pure beryllium dynamic driver along with 4 main internal chambers. These have been meticulously tuned and built, and it shows.

In the box you get the earphones paired with Finals silver plated cable (made by Junkosha corportation) terminating in a normal 3.5mm jack, a carry case that is half aluminium and half rubber along with a pack of Final Type-E tips. The tips are key to getting the right sound out of the A8000, and I really do recommend you stick with the Final tips for the best sound quality. Also included are spare mesh grills in case the stock ones get dirty/blocked over time and an MMCX Assist removal tool which massively helps when detaching the cables.

Comfort and Isolation:

The outer shell is angled like the B series, and the inner side is smooth. However these are made out of stainless steel and feel heavy in your hand, when you have the right fit though they are superbly comfortable and do not fall out.

The A8000 are vented by design, but I have not found the isolation to suffer greatly from this. They block out plenty of outside noise, and should be fine for most daily tasks.

Sound:

Bass: The A8000 is accurate and tight down low, you have excellent extension with good punch when required. They aim to stay faithful to the recording, and are not exaggerated in any part of the low end. If the recording has a sub-bass lift you will hear it, the same goes for mid-bass punch. Where these really impress is their transient response and layering, the beryllium driver is so responsive yet intricately layered to the point they can handle the most complex mix you can throw at them with ease. If you appreciate quality and dexterity over quantity you will really enjoy what the A8000 have to offer down low.

Midrange: Due to the responsive nature of the low end on the A8000, the midrange is left clean of any added warmth or detail robbing distortion. This allows both male and female vocals to cut through with excellent clarity with a slight tilt to the upper midrange. Again the transient response, and low distortion levels of the beryllium shine through allowing you to hear each intricate detail and layer of the recording. Quantity wise the midrange sits perfectly for my tastes, and never sounds too forward or attention grabbing. Sibilance wise, if the recording has it, the A8000 will not hold back, but they are not overly fatiguing in the upper midrange.

Treble: There is a bit of a peak in the lower treble that brings out a bit of energy in cymbal crashes, but they back it up with effortless extension that reaches way up into the upper treble region without any noticeable roll-off. The great thing about the treble on the A8000 is that if you feed them good quality source material they will reward you with a very enjoyable sound that is effortlessly detailed yet never harsh. However the level of detail they extract can make some recordings sound particularly bad, as these really are ruthlessly revealing.

There is a very wide and convincing soundstage from the A8000, pair that with impeccable timing and control and you can easily pick apart recordings. These are one of those earphones that make you realise you don’t have to have full-size headphones for a convincing and wide soundstage.

Conclusion:

The A8000 are a very special earphone, overall they have a very clean, complete and revealing sound signature that will have you noticing every intricate detail of your music without presenting it in an aggressive and upfront way. They sound engaging, effortless and airy. They won’t be for everyone, but for those who appreciate an honest sound they are quite addictive and I am a big fan of them for that.

 

Sound: 5/5

Comfort: 5/5

Build Quality: 5/5

Value: 4/5

Final A8000 Audiophile Earphone Video Review

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Final A8000 Audiophile Beryllium Driver IEM

For those of you that don’t know, Final is a Japanese audio brand with a long and impressive hi-fi history. Their products all share a similar theme – unique design and expertly tuned sound. With the A8000, Final’s latest flagship IEM sticks to their brief, while adding to it something I’ve never experienced before.

It’s clear that a lot of love and thought has gone into the A8000. The whole experience from opening the box, to putting them in your ears and getting lost in the music is an absolute joy. The earphones themselves are stunning, with polished stainless steel housings shaped in a very modern and striking way. Inside the housings, Final has developed a truly pure Beryllium driver – creating a level of dynamics and definition I’ve not heard from a dynamic driver IEM before. The supplied high purity silver plated copper cable adds to the impressive looks, which is terminated with a right angled 3.5mm jack.

The unique design of the housings are not just for good looks – they also happen to be extremely comfortable. The shape allows the earphones to sit effortlessly in my ears, and with the correct sized tips, getting a good seal is very easy to achieve. Then for added security, Final has supplied cable guides to help the cable stay behind your ears, and reduce cable noise or microphonics if you feel the need to use them.

Final A8000

Along with the cable and ear hooks, the A8000 comes supplied with a selection of different sized Final silicone eartips, an aluminium and silicone carry case, an easy MMCX plug removal tool and spare sound tube grill filters.

Final’s uniqueness doesn’t stop with their design, their sound is also unlike any other brand – IEMs or headphones. This is quite possibly due to the fact that Final develop a lot of their own technology, and they always keep to a certain house sound.

Bass on the A8000 has a natural and live feel to it. It has definition and depth without any of that unwanted bloatedness or distortion. It’s incredibly clean, and manages to add body and warmth where needed. Thanks to the control of the bass, mids flow through with ease and sit high enough in the mix to point out each fine detail. Vocals have a real quality to them, with layers of detail that bring out all of the intricacies and emotions you’d expect to hear only in a live setting. Then the treble manages to create endless space, with reverb trails that go on and on – the treble has a liquid quality that I’ve not heard from an IEM before.

The superb treble and overall dynamic sound helps the A8000 deliver a real-to-life soundstage, with depth and atmosphere – putting you close to the action. Imaging is also realistic. Instruments are easily defined and width is just what you’d expect it would be when recorded.

Final’s main competition at this price point comes from the likes of Dita, Campfire Audio and Hifman – and however impressive their high end models are, none have managed to achieve the purity and delicacy that the A8000 brings.

Essentially, it’s going to come down to taste. No matter how good I think they are, if you’re used to a warm or bass driven sound signature, then the A8000 could come across as too bright or harsh in the upper frequencies. For those who favour transparency and clarity, then the A8000 may be the best IEM you’ve ever heard.