Tag Archives: beryllium

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

Review- The Periodic Audio Beryllium

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Periodic Audio Be

The Periodic Audio Be are not for the purists, but don’t let this put you off. The level of clarity coming from an earphone this energetic and dynamic is really quite something.

 

Aesthetics and Build Quality:

 

The Periodic Audio IEM’s all look very similar, with a standard bullet shaped housing and machined metal backplate. They may look very simple, but the materials used are carefully selected for their sound properties. So, these may not be the best-looking IEM’s around, but you can rest assured they are built to offer the best sound quality possible.

 

Build quality is excellent with smooth polycarbonate body and metal end plates they are solid. The cable is rubbery with butyl rubber strain relief that is pliable and durable. They may look simple but rest assured they are built to last.

 

 

Comfort:

 

The shape of these means that most will be able to get a good fit, and there is a good range of tips included. Once you find the right size tips for your ears, you will get a comfortable listening experience for hours on end.

 

Sound:

 

Bass: Whilst the Be may have a well-rounded overall sound signature, there is no denying that the lows have some power behind them. They are not overpowering, but they do grab your attention with their speed and articulation making you want to tap your feet along with the beat. There is plenty of depth to the lows, extending down to the sub-bass with ease, yet they punch with great impact when called for too. I would not say the bass is the focus of the sound, as it is always well controlled, but there is a quality to it that makes the Be a lot of fun to listen to.

 

Midrange: The Be manage to have a fun low end, without sounding bloated and interfering with the midrange. Vocals cut through the mix with good detail, they are not upfront, they just sit happily in the middle. There is an openness in the midrange that prevents them from sounding congested, they just get on and do their thing. There is no upper midrange peak that brings out sibilance, and the transition into the treble is smooth.

 

Treble: The treble has good energy and detail retrieval, it extends well and doesn’t come across harsh or overdone. The quantity is enough to satisfy most tastes, and the Be are far from being a dark sounding IEM. The top end really rounds of the sound as being well balanced but at the same time dynamic and punchy. They really do combine a lot of fun into an overall well-balanced sound signature, this is not easy to do. The headphone enthusiasts will enjoy the faithful reproduction of the music, and their ability to uncover hidden details, whereas the average user will appreciate their fun and enjoyable sound.

 

The soundstage of the Be is not very big, but the layering and separation is very good with everything occupying its rightful space within the soundstage.

 

Conclusion:

 

Periodic have managed to make a fun and dynamic sounding IEM, without throwing off the tonal balance and overall sound signature. There are no real peaks or dips, yet the lows have incredible power and control, the midrange is clean and the highs have energy and extension. They are well balanced overall, and come highly recommended to those that are bored of the drier presentation most neutral IEM’s have.

Introducing: Periodic Audio!

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The Periodic Audio Rundown

The family is getting bigger- we’re expecting a new bundle of joy to our homestead in the coming weeks, and to celebrate, we thought we’d do a brief overview of the impressive in-ears on offer from these chemically-conscious can constructors.

 

What is the deal with Periodic Audio, anyway?

 

 

 

 

 

As the name might imply, Periodic Audio deal in high-end equipment with a twist- they specialize in highlighting the performance of elements on the periodic table as facets of their design technology.  For example, their earphone range features diaphragms hewn from varying materials.

Periodic‘s motto is ‘Portable audio excellence’, which gives some insight into the brand’s style. You won’t find flashy cases or an abundance of accessories- they prefer to focus all their attention on the IEMs and let the sound speak for itself.

 

What will we be offering?

  1. The Mg IEM

These bad boys feature a majority-magnesium content alloy in the diaphragm and Periodic advise they feature a bright, clear top end that would help cut through the noise in loud and busy settings.

 

  1. The Ti IEM

You may have guessed, if you paid attention in chem class- these IEMs feature a 100% titanium foil for the diaphragm. Periodic figure this is their best model for aggressive, fun music- it’s got great responsiveness and strong bass and treble- but perhaps not the most reference-style.

 

  1. The Be IEM

Anyone get the last one? Well done at home if you guessed beryllium- they boast a 100% pure beryllium foil diaphragm to produce a sound with fun, strong bass and an impressive array of sonic detail.

 

Get Nerdy

Want a closer look into the science of  Periodic‘s range? Luckily, they’ve got you covered. Each IEM has a full guide to what makes it tick, complete with measurements, readouts, and charts to show impedance and other factors. If you want to know specifically, down to the molecule what you can expect from each IEM, you ought to have a field day here.

 

So, that’s our glimpse into the future for the day. We’ll be shouting at the top of our lungs about it when these are available, so be sure to keep an ear out. And, as always, feel free to get in touch if you’d like to come visit us for a demo. And bring your chemistry set!

 

BONUS:

Q: Which genre sounds best on Periodic Audio‘s unique IEMs?

A: Precious Metal.