Good day, we are going to review the Final STUDY 1. One of Final Audio's latest releases, a learning earphone that enhances "concentration" on the voice according to Final. STUDY 1 is the result of joint research of Final and Dr. Kazuhiko Kawahara, of Kyushu University to discover the physical characteristics that make it easier to hear the voice.
In this review, I am going to give my subjective thoughts on STUDY 1 and how good STUDY 1 is. I prepared podcasts and audiobooks to prove the capabilities of STUDY 1. I also used this to listen to music so I will also give my honest thoughts on that area as well.
DISCLAIMER: The Final STUDY 1 is bought with my own money. I am, in no way affiliated with Final. This review has no monetary gains and this will be an honest, subjective, and unbiased review.
PACKAGING: The packaging of Final is as straightforward as ever. The STUDY 1 is encased inside a box, with 5 pairs of Final E's ear tips, and the IEM itself. Nothing to fancy.
DEVICES USED :
LG G8
Zishan U1
Walnut V2
Abigail DAC
Zishan ADIII Tube Amp - actually, there's no need to amp this IEM
The Final Study 1 is a bullet-type IEM with a non-removable OFC cable and a built-in microphone. It has a 6.4mm dynamic type driver with 98dB sensitivity and 16Ω impedance, housed in an ABS plastic shell. It is pretty hard to drive despite being an IEM, on my LG G8 I had to turn the volume up to 60-65 being the safest. So that is like 85%-95% of the volume since LG only has 75 levels of volume.
The STUDY 1 has a price tag of 2,980 JPY (around 24 USD / 1250 PHP), I bought mine for around 1500 PHP, shipping included.
Audio Tested: Learn Japanese with Masa Sensei
Final STUDY 1 : The Final Study 1 has a warm, and smooth texture that makes vocals thicker and richer. It makes the instructor's voice clear, comfortable, and concise. Because of the unique warm tuning, you can listen for these lessons for hours without experiencing fatigue.
Astrotec Vesna : The Vesna is a polar opposite of the STUDY 1, the Vesna is tuned to be brighter than Study 1 but less bright on IEMs such as my TKZK Wave. Vocals are still clear, clean, and concise but as you listen for longer periods you might find using the Vesna tiring and bland compared to STUDY 1's richness that immerses you to want more.
TKZK Wave : Not the best for listening for Podcasts because it gets tiring to use over time due to its physical design (large shells, large nozzles) and its bright sound signature.
TFZ MLE : The MLE has a dark-sounding profile, vocals and midrange is not MLE's strong suit. Compare it to STUDY 1, MLE's vocals are more veiled which makes it incompatible for this purpose that STUDY 1 excels. Take note, STUDY 1 is cheaper than when MLE was released way back in 2019.
Ikko OH2 : Both has a warm profile, which I believed will be STUDY 1's competitor. The result, A BIG NO, unfortunately, Ikko OH2 vocals sounded too distant compared to STUDY 1. Even the Vesna has a more forward and accurate approach compared to OH2 while listening to this particular podcast. I guess the OH2 beats STUDY 1 in the music department with its more steady bass and overall details.
At the end of this test, I can say that STUDY 1 proves to be a good
"learning earphone" for students. It also has an in-built microphone for online classes. In regards to the microphone's audio quality, the quality is average, just like any other in-built microphone the STUDY 1 is no different. It's just your average microphone ready to serve its purpose. It absorbs background noise, not perfect for voice-overs, etc.
Personally, any earpiece may serve as a "study" earphone, I don't see any unique characteristic of STUDY 1 that sets it apart from other earphones.
I would still use headphones when I am attending online conferences and meetings.
IEMs, in general, are not suitable for longer listening in the long run and it just doesn't feel that comfortable having foreign objects sit inside your ear canal for hours. I think some might agree.
SOUND :
In the music department, the STUDY 1 has good midbass emphasis. The sub-bass isn't that prominent which is fine since this is suitable for a learning environment. The mids are warm, thick, and rich. Vocals sound relaxing, instruments like guitars and cello have good attacks. I just love the mids on these pairs. Overall, the experience is euphonic, which emphasizes richness instead of reproducing an accurate sound. The highs on STUDY 1 are rolled-off to remove the harshness of the treble and make you focus on the smoothness and warmth of the IEM. The best genre for the STUDY 1 would be EDM and Jazz. The saxophones are perfectly paired with a warm cup of coffee while studying late at night before your final exams reap the living soul out of you.
Imaging and Soundstage:
The STUDY 1 doesn't deliver many details on this department due to its rolled-off details on the treble, soundstage has average width and height with enough extension to hear the instruments and vocals in their respectful positions.
Conclusion :
The STUDY 1 is a good beater IEMs to use in terms of listening to podcasts, audiobooks, and music. Currently one of my favorite warm IEMs on my lineup as it never fails to deliver a warm and relaxing experience through my ears. The only downside of this IEM is that it comes with a non-removable cable and once you bust the cables, there is no way of replacing it unless you find someone who can mod it for you. Second, it's kind of hard to avail it as of the moment unless you have someone from Japan to buy and ship it for you.
