[msiekkb]

@Tawek I see you bought, How your first impressions?

 

[chimney189]

since yesterday

Impressions?

 

[Jalo]

I just received my A8000 review loaner, beautiful design. As @NymPHONOmaniac and @msiekkb have already reported, the A8000 is highly detailed, but since it is brand new and final recommends burn-in—or aging in its own words—I’m going to run this for the next week or so to ensure it sounds it’s best before I put my critical cap on.

It’s been a while since I owned the custom FI-BA-SS commissioned by Astell&Kern, but the A8000 reminds me of this stellar IEM ...

For those that are fortunate enough to listen to the A8000, please tell me why are your (especially NymPHONOmaniac) first impressions on the A8000 sound so much like a BA iems when it is a DD iems. I have the Utopia and I am familiar with Beryllium drivers, but your description (fast, clean, transient etc) usually are words that describe BA drivers. I have the FI-BA-SS and the A8000 is described like a FI-BA-SS. Is there any full review in the wild. I am interested.

 

[jwbrent]

There are a few here who are going to write reviews, myself included.

I will say this for the record, this is an outstanding sounding IEM. The level of transparency is exceptional. I’m going to have to broaden my audio vocabulary when I write my review ...

 

[Jalo]

Who is the Final dealer in the US

 

[jwbrent]

Who is the Final dealer in the US

www.audio46.com

I just noticed the retail for the A8000 is 2K. I had thought it was $1,800.

 

[Jalo]

www.audio46.com

I just noticed the retail for the A8000 is 2K. I had thought it was $1,800.

You should take a drive to Torrence and try out the A8000 on the SP2K at the Source. Both SP2K and A8000 have similar sound character and I am seriously wanting to know how do they pair up. They are both fast, very clean, very dynamic, and with excellent texture and timber. I am tempted to buy them blind. How is the A8000 with your 240SS? Too bright? Final suggests 150 to 200 hours of “Aging” but you really should pick them up and hear how they change over time. Although not pure beryllium, the Campfire DD ADLC drivers are beryllium coated but they have a tendency to loose bass slam in the first 100 hours of burn in. That is why I want to know if there is any change for the A8000 over aging. Btw, the A8000 is not a limited production item, right?

 

[Audio Addict]

I would also recommend reaching out to The Source AV. I recently talked with Alan about these. They did not have them in stock but are available to buy.

 

[Jalo]

Yea Alan is awesome, is the Source AV an authorized dealer?

 

[Jalo]

How large is the DD, can’t seem to find that spec.

 

[Audio Addict]

I believe they are as Alan contacted them about shipping dates when I asked him about them. Easy answer is to call him or drop him a PM or email him.

 

[jwbrent]

Yea Alan is awesome, is the Source AV an authorized dealer?

@Jalo, I thought you lived closer to the east coast, hence, my link to audio46. The Source, to my knowledge, is an authorized final dealer. I bought a Chord DAC from them and had a great experience.

 

[HerrXRDS]

Well, after 1 year of light use my E4000 got a lot quieter in the right channel. Has anyone else experienced this? Tried different cables, different sources, swapped the channels around, placed them in a dry spot, nothing.

 

[suicidal_orange]

Well, after 1 year of light use my E4000 got a lot quieter in the right channel. Has anyone else experienced this? Tried different cables, different sources, swapped the channels around, placed them in a dry spot, nothing.

Happened to mine after a couple of months. Sent them back under warranty and apparently the mesh was clogged though it was still bright white so I thought otherwise. Advice from the authorised dealer:

due to the fine mesh of the E4000 it can be hard to see if they are blocked. I have taken a look at yours and managed to clean the mesh with a special earphone vac we have here. But a trick for future if you have issues with these is to put just the tip of the nozzle where the mesh is in some boiling water and then dry them, this should draw out the wax and clean them.

Sounds scary but if that's what they advise it's what I'll do next time.

 

[Oscar-HiFi]

Happened to mine after a couple of months. Sent them back under warranty and apparently the mesh was clogged though it was still bright white so I thought otherwise. Advice from the authorised dealer:



Sounds scary but if that's what they advise it's what I'll do next time.

Hydrogen peroxide is also good for cleaning earwax but the water normally does the trick just don't dunk them deep obviously. Quite a few people use boiling water to open their Grado's up, as long as the drivers are not in the water nothing bad "should" happen.