Final E4000 Review & Video
Hailing from Japan, Final have been in the audio game since the 1970’s, where they started off designing and manufacturing high-end hifi equipment. Recently, they have focused on portable audio, and the E4000 is part of their E Series of earphones. Coming in at £120, the Final E4000 sits in the middle of the range and hits a very nice price-to-performance sweet spot.
BUILD
It’s very clear that Final take great pride in what they do, and the E4000 is no exception. The earphone housings are made from aluminium with an alumite coating for added resistances, and then finished in matte black, which I really like. The cable is replaceable and uses MMCX connectors. It’s also flexible and soft to touch, with good strain relief on the 3.5mm jack. The MMCX connectors on the cable could do with a bit more strain relief, however they seem to be pretty durable.
COMFORT
The E4000 is pretty standard when it comes to fit. The earphones are designed to be worn with the cable going straight down, and there are a good amount of eartips supplied to get the best fit. Final design the eartips in house, and their silicone tips are my favourite out of any I have tried. (And I have tried a lot.) For those that are sensitive to cable noise or prefer a cable-over-the-ear fit, Final have supplied the E4000 with ear hooks. These allow you to wear the earphones so the cable goes up and behind your ears. This can provide a more secure fit and will greatly reduce the amount of cable noise; it’s quite a rare thing to have both options.
SPECS
The E4000 houses a small scale 6.4mm dynamic driver, developed by Final themselves. With an impedance of 15ohms and sensitivity of 97dB, the E4000 can be used with a phone or laptop – however they will really benefit from a dedicated headphone amplifier or portable audio player. The extra power will open up the earphones more, improving soundstage and separation.
SOUND QUALITY
When it comes to sound quality, Final’s experience in the world of high end hifi really shows. There is a real musicality with the E4000 and sound comes across smooth and silky. Bass goes deep, and has an organic and rich quality to it. The mids sit nicely in the mix and carry on with that richness. Then up top, the treble provides sparkle and sizzle. Overall, the V shaped signature is smooth and easy to listen to, reminiscent to a lot of hifi setups I’ve heard and very much enjoyed. The E4000 has a big sound and part of this comes from the impressive soundstage, with space and air you wouldn’t normally expect from earphones.
CONCLUSION
Around £100 there are earphones out there from Shanling, Shure, Beyerdynamic and Westone to name a few. None manage to give the same hifi listening experience that the Final E4000 delivers. The E4000 is best suited to be used with a dedicated portable audio player or a setup with a headphone amp. If this is you and you’re looking for some wired earphones for some easy listening, have a go on the Final E4000.