Final x Dragon Ball Z Frieza Review

Can you really believe that Final (or in this case their sub-brand AG) have teamed up with DBZ? Following up on my review of the Vegeta model, this one is focused on the Frieza Cotsubu version, A TWS aimed more towards the ASMR market. A must have for any Dragon Ball fan, these earphones are fantastic value for money. The focus on sound quality and their unique size makes these earphones suitable for lots of different cohorts who are after something a bit different to the usual. For £70, they really are quite the bargain!

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Final x Dragon Ball Z Frieza: First impressions

Taking them out of the packaging box for the first time, it becomes clear just how small these earphones are. Both the earbuds and case are very slim. The charging case is the perfect shape to not be felt in your pocket. It provides an extra 15 hours of battery per charge to the earphones. Although not the longest, the shape and size of it is worth the compromise in my opinion.

The hinge on the case is again rigid and durable. You can even open and close the lid on the case singlehandedly with ease. The case is also smooth and stylish. The colourscape is a bit simpler than the Goku/ Vegeta versions, but the purple gives off enough Frieza vibes to know what it is representing and it really has an elegant aura to it overall.

Just like in my previous review, putting the buds in your ears for the first time is a great experience, especially if you watched Dragon Ball Z in Japanese with subtitles! More on the voice commands below.

The earphone body is also the smallest and lightest in this series of earphones. Weighing about 3.5g per earphone. They are so light and comfortable that you forget you’re wearing them. They fit perfectly in the ear canal and there is nothing protruding out. So even if you lay on your ear with them in, you won’t feel any pressure or a feeling of a foreign object. The size and shape make it an excellent earphone for sleeping too (if that is your thing!).

The original Japanese voiceover brings you straight into the action!

The Frieza (middle) and its siblings final x Dragon Ball Z Goku (left) and Vegeta (right)

Voice Guidance Prompts for the Frieza Model

The voice prompts are very fun and make it a joy to turn them on and put them in your ears. Here is a low down of them below. I have written the Japanese in English so you can phonetically read them (what text cannot do is convey the emotion in the lines, but that is why you have these earphones, right?)

  • When the earphones are turned on: Matte Imashitayo – I’ve been waiting for you. – No idea, but it sounds nasty and is a brilliant hello.
  • When it is turned off: Chi…Chikisho!!!! CHIKUSHOOO!!!! – Blast him, Blast him to infinity. – I think this is when he blasts Krillin out of the lake, but it could also be when he rips through Vegeta, or something else entirely. Any leads?
  • When pairing mode is activated : Kakugo wa yoroshii desune… – Prepare yourself for death! – Part of Frieza’s angry monologue as he prepares to face Vegeta, Gohan, Krillin, and Dende.
  • When pairing is successful: Watashitomo aroumonoga dokidoki shite kimashita – Even my heart is pounding. – I cannot find this for the life of me, it must be something between Frieza and Goku during their first epic fight.
  • When pairing is complete and you can now use the earphones: Watashi no sentoryoku wa Gojusamman desu – My battle strength is 530,000. – Says first form Freiza before he wrecks Vegeta, Gohan and Krillin.
  • When pairing has been disconnected: Zettai ni yurusanzo mushikera domo!!!! You worms, I’ll never forgive you. – Another line from Frieza’s angry monologue as he prepares to face Vegeta, Gohan, Krillin, and Dende.

Packaging

The packaging is a picture of Frieza in front of his spaceship, looking as menacing as always. The print is vibrant and the box itself is one that you will always want to keep.

Frieza Packaging

Sound

The sound quality really is superb, considering the size of these buds. The focus on ASMR / Voice is easily noticeable as soon as you put on a film or anime. There is a surprising amount of detail offered with these buds (only 3.5 grams each!). Vocals are crisp and well presented, with both male and female sounding excellent. Voice actors’ emotions are clearly conveyed. You really get that sense of distance between the characters when they talk with each other and they really help you immerse yourself in the world you are watching (or playing).

That Final ariness is also there. The Soundstage is absolutely huge for such a little device. Overall this is a great product for any DBZ fan or people who have small ears / want small earphones. They are great for watching shows/ movies/ Anime, playing games, listening to music, audiobooks and of course any ASMR content you fancy.

They sound realistic and natural and easily capture emotion in voice however it is spoken or sung

Battery life & Comfort/Fit

The battery life really is the only slight downside to these earbuds. They last between 4-5 hours on one charge and can be recharged 3 times from the case giving you a maximum 20 hours total playback. That does not bother me too much as it is plenty of time and thankfully way longer than my daily commute. However, when on an anime binge, 1 charge equates to about 15 episodes tops. Not necessarily a bad either thing mind you, as it is good to walk about and take a break every now and again!

For me, the comfort is unbelievable and these earphones have quickly become my daily choice. The case fits perfectly in your pocket and the earbuds . Playing with the eartips and choosing the bigger size created even more comfort. At this moment in time, there is no earphone in my repertoire that is as comfortable and as enjoyable as my little purple Frieza’s.

Specs

  • Communication method: Bluetooth®5.2
  • Chipset: Qualcomm® QCC3040
  • Reproduction frequency band: 20Hz – 20kHz
  • Supported codec: SBC, AAC, Qualcomm® aptX™ audio
  • Correspondence profile: A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
  • Continuous music playing time: 5 hours (20 hours including charging case)
  • Charging time: 1.5 hours (earbud) / 2 hours (case)
  • Battery capacity: 30mAh (one earbud) / 220mAh (charging case)

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Final x Dragon Ball Z Review

Final have teamed up with Dragon Ball Z. Yes, you read that right! The result of this collaboration are 3 unique pairs of earphones inspired from the characters Goku, Vegeta and Freiza from the legendary anime Dragon Ball Z. This review will be focusing on the Vegeta version (although Goku sounds exactly the same, other than the prompts). A must have for any Dragon Ball fan, these earphones are not just about aesthetics. The focus on sound quality and modern specs makes them relevant too in the ever changing world of TWS audio.

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Final x Dragon Ball Z Vegeta: First impressions

As expected from final, the build quality for the case and earbuds is fantastic. Taking them out of the packaging box for the first time, it is clear that the hinges of the case and the USB-C connector are rigid and durable. You can even open and close the lid on the case singlehandedly. The case has a smooth look on the surface and the shape / compactness of it means it sits in your pocket really easily. It is very cool, you need to see it with your own eyes.

Putting the buds in your ears for the first time is a great experience, especially if you watched Dragon Ball Z in Japanese with subtitles. More on the voice commands below. They are styled a bit like the ZE3000, in that the earbuds do not fully enter the canal, but sit very comfortably at the entrance. The shape of them means your outer ear also supports their position. They are also very lightweight and comfortable to wear for hours on end (up to 6 hours, more on that further below)

Goku’s earbuds are coloured after his classic look, so naturally, they are orange and blue. As for Vegeta’s earbuds, they have a little bit more. Inspired by his Saiyan battle armor from Dragon Ball Z, they are colored white, blue, and gold and when you turn them on The original Japanese voiceover brings you straight into the action!

Final has also gone big on the details, for each model the eartips are also colour themed, a great little edition that separates these out from your regular black/white TWS earbuds on the market. Not forgetting that the style of the case is designed on a Saiyan sleep pod as well.

Vegeta earphones, case & packaging

Voice Guidance Prompts for the Vegeta Model

The voice prompts are very fun and after a month still do not bore/ irritate me. Here is a low down of them below (I have written the Japanese in English so you can phonetically read them (what text cannot do is convey the emotion in the lines):

  • When the earphones are turned on: Ore wa Super Vegeta da!! (I am super Vegeta) – Episode 156 of Dragon Ball Z uncut, Vegeta telling Cell who is boss as he rages in. A great quote for turning them on.
  • When it is turned off: Fun, sukini shiro (Do what you want.) – The only line I have not yet found on my Dragon Ball Z rewatch adventure. If you know where it is from let me know!
  • When pairing mode is activated : Gambare Kakarot… (Hang in there Kakarot…) A fantastic line that begins the quote finished with the next prompt.
  • When pairing is successful: Omae ga Number one da! (You are the number one!) This finishes the quote from when Vegeta has a monologue while Goku is fighting Boo and finally accepts Goku as the most powerful´”Gambare Kakarot, Omae ga Number one da!”
  • When pairing is complete and you can now use the earphones: FINAL FLASH!!! – Vegeta’s signature move, enough said. Always gets a smile.
  • When pairing has been disconnected, He! Kitanee Hanabi da (Hmph! Dirty fireworks) – Another great line and also one of Vegeta’s techniques. We all know how he loves to kill with dirty fireworks!

Packaging

The packaging for the Goku and Vegeta models is inspired by the scene before their first battle (episode 30), with Goku and Vegeta glaring at each other in the Gizard Wasteland. By arranging the packages of the Goku and Vegeta models together, you can reproduce the entire scene. (as seen below).

Vegeta & Goku packaging together

Sound

The sound quality is great, of course it is because these are made by Final. They are tuned with a slightly emphasized treble and mid-high range but overall they have a natural, fatigue free sound signature to them. The bass is also really good. It is there when you need it but it never sounds like the main focus of the sound.

There is loads of detail on offer with these buds. Vocals are crisp and well presented, with both male and female sounding excellent. They never sound congested as there is great layering and space between the instruments and/or sound effects. The Final X Dragon Ball Z buds are great for watching shows/ movies, playing games and listening to music & audiobooks.

They sound realistic and natural.

They also have that signature Final airiness to them. This means you get a sense of space that many earphones fail to capture. Overall, the soundstage is mightily impressive (especially for a themed collab product), they really can handle anything you throw at them. A great win especially for Dragon Ball Z fans for sure.

Battery life

The battery life is the only slight downside to these otherwise great pair of earbuds. They last for about 6 hours on one charge and can be recharged 3/4 times from the case giving you a maximum 22 hours of playback. That does not bother me too much as it is plenty of time. However, When on an anime binge, 1 charge equates to about 17/18 episodes top. Not necessarily a bad either thing mind you, as it is good to walk about and take a break every now and again! This slight drawback is compensated by everything else from the overall look to the sound quality and solid build of the earbuds / case and provided accessories.

Specs

  • Communication method: Bluetooth®5.2
  • Chipset: Qualcomm® QCC3040
  • Reproduction frequency band: 20Hz – 20kHz
  • Supported codec: SBC, AAC, Qualcomm® aptX™ audio
  • Correspondence profile: A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
  • Continuous music playing time: 5.5 hours (22 hours including charging case)
  • Charging time: 1.5 hours
  • Battery capacity: 35mAh (one earbud) / 220mAh (charging case)
TYPE E eartips in Vegeta colours

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Kamehameha! Final x Dragon Ball Z TWS earphones Out Now!

One of the most anticipated collaborations of 2023 in the audio scene is officially on sale in the UK. Final have teamed up with Dragon Ball Z and have launched 3 products inspired by the iconic characters Goku, Vegeta and Frieza. With original and unique designs, they also incorporate that Final magic we love. The result is a product that encompases the essence of everyones favourite animation from the late 80’s- to 90’s. Naturally, they sound fantastic too.

Goku and Vegeta squaring up

The packaging for the Goku and Vegeta models is inspired by the scene before their first battle (episode 30), with Goku and Vegeta glaring at each other in the Gizard Wasteland. By arranging the packages of the Goku and Vegeta models together, you can reproduce the entire scene. (as seen above).

Learn More Here! – Final x Dragon Ball Z TWS earphones

Not just for looks, Final have packed these earphones full of features for you to enjoy!

Features at a Glance

  • Original audio guide recorded by Son Goku and Vegeta
  • Earphone body based on Goku’s and Vegeta’s uniform and belt
  • Case designed from a Saiyan spaceship pod
  • Clear and balanced sound perfect for watching animations
  • Includes five sizes of Type-E truly wireless eartips
  • Maximum 22 hours of music playback (5.5h earbuds + 16h case)
  • Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC, SBC, aptX codecs
Goku & Vegeta Models

As you can see, the Goku version is based on his iconic outfit and Vegeta likewise with his very traditional Saiyan battle armour.

Original Voiceover Announcements

Announcements such as power ON / OFF are made by the voices of Goku (Masako Nozawa) and Vegeta (Ryo Horikawa). Familiar lines such as “Kamehameha” and “Final Flash” are also assigned to the guide voice.

“Dragon Ball fans can fully immerse themselves in the world of Dragon Ball Z”

Frieza COTSUBU Model


Frieza’s model is co-branded with ag. The Dragon Ball Z x ag COTSUBU uses Frieza’s purple and white body for the case and earphones, making a particular use of Frieza’s fourth form. Furthermore, the box design combines Frieza’s evil atmosphere at the time of his first appearance against the backdrop of Frieza’s spaceship arriving on Namek.

Freiza’s Purple and White inspired colour combination for the earphones

ASMR + More

This earphone is tuned more towards ASMR content. But it is also suitable for animation, watching videos, movies, listening to audiobooks, podcasts and of course music too. The system voice prompts also feature the original voice of Frieza (Ryuusei Nakao), again allowing the user to immerse into the Dragon Ball Z universe.

Frieza landing on Namek

All Models are Now Avaliable via Hifiheadphones!

A full review is coming soon, so watch this space.

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