[Giraku]

Someone asked earlier, but any comparisons between the a8000 and Sony ier-z1r?

I used to own IER-Z1R. I cannot do side by side comparison, but one thing is for sure: A8000 presents music "as it is" without any coloration. Sounds so pure and transparent. IER-Z1R is a great IEM, and actually I missed them even regret parting with them. I can't say which is better because the preference totally depends on your taste at this level. But for now, I really dig the transparency of A8000.

 

[mahesh]

Comparison between A8000 ,Dunu Luna and Periodic Be
that would be just perfect

 

[greyforest]

Hi all
I never been a big fan of iem, walked into the store just to get a mid-fi iem for travel. After tried some iem including new ones( things like iex1 from audio-technica ) I decided to go for final a8000. Reason is simple it sounds like a full size planar headphone with some good touch of dynamic drivers and almost no compromise if powered properly.

Been using a8000 for two weeks，it is truly transparent for an iem. And even have better transparency when paired with chord dac.

It is definitely not an all rounder, and have a unique tuning for the first generation of BE dynamic driver. The best i can think of how to summarize the sound signatures is that it had a quite thick sound by nature as demonstrated in luna for Be driver, but final tuned a8000 into a ‘thin’ sounding iem, and this statement does not mean it in any bad way at all, actually I believe that’s why it creates the impression of transparency for this iem.

A8000 is not easy to drive at all, it almost requires planar headphone level of power to drive it to it’s full performance(at least for me). Say with Hugott2 it requires almost same level of output of ether 2 planar. But worries not a8000 perform well with mobile sources to a decent degree. Personally i found es100 is enough for a decent travel companion with a8000. But only with dedicated desktop amp a8000 would truly shine. Hugo2 is particularly good with a8000 as well.

About cable, that is where the a8000 presents challenges, with the original c106 cable also know as Kai cable the resolution is not as good as a silver cable, but a silver cable makes a8000 too harsh in the upper high made it completely unbearable with some songs. Besides that there is just some thing with the original cable actually made a8000 sounded better with less resolution but a better tonality and soundstage. After I tried a far more expensive occ silver cable the improvements became quite obvious. Imagining is significantly better with increased depth and soundstage. I didn’t get the cable, because it cost almost as much as a8000.

 

[Giraku]

About cable, that is where the a8000 presents challenges, with the original c106 cable also know as Kai cable the resolution is not as good as a silver cable, but a silver cable makes a8000 too harsh in the upper high made it completely unbearable with some songs. Besides that there is just some thing with the original cable actually made a8000 sounded better with less resolution but a better tonality and soundstage. After I tried a far more expensive occ silver cable the improvements became quite obvious. Imagining is significantly better with increased depth and soundstage. I didn’t get the cable, because it cost almost as much as a8000.

Would you mind sharing the cable info? Which cable did you try?

 

[jwbrent]

Hi all
I never been a big fan of iem, walked into the store just to get a mid-fi iem for travel. After tried some iem including new ones( things like iex1 from audio-technica ) I decided to go for final a8000. Reason is simple it sounds like a full size planar headphone with some good touch of dynamic drivers and almost no compromise if powered properly.

Been using a8000 for two weeks，it is truly transparent for an iem. And even have better transparency when paired with chord dac.

It is definitely not an all rounder, and have a unique tuning for the first generation of BE dynamic driver. The best i can think of how to summarize the sound signatures is that it had a quite thick sound by nature as demonstrated in luna for Be driver, but final tuned a8000 into a ‘thin’ sounding iem, and this statement does not mean it in any bad way at all, actually I believe that’s why it creates the impression of transparency for this iem.

A8000 is not easy to drive at all, it almost requires planar headphone level of power to drive it to it’s full performance(at least for me). Say with Hugott2 it requires almost same level of output of ether 2 planar. But worries not a8000 perform well with mobile sources to a decent degree. Personally i found es100 is enough for a decent travel companion with a8000. But only with dedicated desktop amp a8000 would truly shine. Hugo2 is particularly good with a8000 as well.

About cable, that is where the a8000 presents challenges, with the original c106 cable also know as Kai cable the resolution is not as good as a silver cable, but a silver cable makes a8000 too harsh in the upper high made it completely unbearable with some songs. Besides that there is just some thing with the original cable actually made a8000 sounded better with less resolution but a better tonality and soundstage. After I tried a far more expensive occ silver cable the improvements became quite obvious. Imagining is significantly better with increased depth and soundstage. I didn’t get the cable, because it cost almost as much as a8000.

We all hear differently, but I didn’t feel the upper frequencies to be harsh at all except when it was brand new, and I‘m generally sensitive to that sort of thing. Did you put any time on your A8000? I found 200 hours smoothed things out on the trebles, yet still retained the beautiful transparency.

 

[Infoseeker]

It is definitely not an all rounder, and have a unique tuning for the first generation of BE dynamic driver. The best i can think of how to summarize the sound signatures is that it had a quite thick sound by nature as demonstrated in luna for Be driver, but final tuned a8000 into a ‘thin’ sounding iem, and this statement does not mean it in any bad way at all, actually I believe that’s why it creates the impression of transparency for this iem.

Final Audio has proven themselves many times as a brand. If anyone can pull off acoustic tuning then it would be them.

Hopefully it isn't botched like Crinacle's description of the oBravo Ra C-Cu. Where he felt like it was more an earbud trying to be an iem.

 

[Jalo]

A8000 is not easy to drive at all, it almost requires planar headphone level of power to drive it to it’s full performance(at least for me). Say with Hugott2 it requires almost same level of output of ether 2 planar. But worries not a8000 perform well with mobile sources to a decent degree. Personally i found es100 is enough for a decent travel companion with a8000. But only with dedicated desktop amp a8000 would truly shine. Hugo2 is particularly good with a8000 as well.

I intended to use my SP2K to drive my A8000. according to spec at 16 ohm impedance for the A8000, my SP2K should give out 2.25 Watts of power and that should be enough to drive any iems.

 

[Infoseeker]

In terns of specs it should be easy to drive. Not like it is a planar with super magnets.

It is just a matter of getting loud and using something with an output impedence of less than 2.

 

[greyforest]

Would you mind sharing the cable info? Which cable did you try?

The Silver cable i have don’t have brand it’s 99.99silver plated with gold. And the expensive cable i ve tried named dream duet

 

[greyforest]

I intended to use my SP2K to drive my A8000. according to spec at 16 ohm impedance for the A8000, my SP2K should give out 2.25 Watts of power and that should be enough to drive any iems.

I’ve tried sp2k with a8k, decent but dynamics is not as good as it should be. Caiyin n8 and fiio m15 have better results with a8k

 

[greyforest]

We all hear differently, but I didn’t feel the upper frequencies to be harsh at all except when it was brand new, and I‘m generally sensitive to that sort of thing. Did you put any time on your A8000? I found 200 hours smoothed things out on the trebles, yet still retained the beautiful transparency.

The upper is only harsh when i use the silver cable with kei cable(original cable) it was fine. But silver cable definitely boost resolution by a margin.

 

[Infoseeker]

The Silver cable i have don’t have brand it’s 99.99silver plated with gold. And the expensive cable i ve tried named dream duet

Instead of trying your luck with cables. Just get a Linum Superbax cable, since they confirm quantitatively its impedence is 0.75.

So you know for sure the cable's quality isn't the choke point holding back your rig in any way.

 

[greyforest]

Final Audio has proven themselves many times as a brand. If anyone can pull off acoustic tuning then it would be them.

Hopefully it isn't botched like Crinacle's description of the oBravo Ra C-Cu. Where he felt like it was more an earbud trying to be an iem.

I guess what I trying to say is a8k have a very unique realism to it’s sound. Might sounds thin at first but it’s Actually full bodied. Never heard such vividness in any iem within the price range.

 

[jmills8]

I’ve tried sp2k with a8k, decent but dynamics is not as good as it should be. Caiyin n8 and fiio m15 have better results with a8k

I agree about your SP2000 opinion.

 

[Giraku]

The Silver cable i have don’t have brand it’s 99.99silver plated with gold. And the expensive cable i ve tried named dream duet

Thanks!!