[Cheradenine]

I was tidying up my collection when I realised that I have been using a fancy MMCX cable with interchangeable plug with my $15 DIY earbuds, when my E5000 lacks a balanced cable. And then I realised I have never used E5000 with any balanced output.

Long story short, this isn’t a post about cable, this is a post about how mobile DAC/AMPs handle E5000 with balanced output:

• Hidizs AP80 Pro X: Better, but still struggle. I hear tighter bass, more separation, less mud. However, the soundstage is kind of strange with center image unusually forward. I’m not sure what the DAP does to the frequency response of the IEM via balanced output. Regardless of single-ended or balanced output, I don’t think you can use E5000 with this tiny DAP.
• VE Megatron: Not much difference from single-ended output. This monster drives HD800S via single-ended output without breaking a sweat, so it does not need more. However, the tonality of E5000 is different with Megatron: lighter and thinner with less midbass. I also find it a bit less detailed comparing to S9 Pro. Speaking of which …
• Hidizs S9 Pro: This baby drives E5000 nicely with single-ended output and makes the IEM sings via balanced. Thick, syrupy tonality is there, but notes are sharp and clear, and more micro-details / air are revealed. S9 Pro (2.5mm) is one of the best pairing of E5000 I have heard up to now, up there with M11+ (single-ended, high-gain)

I’m trying to get my hands on an iFi Go Blu at the moment. A fellow redditor who bought E5000 based on my recommendation reported that E5000 has no bass with his iFi Go Blu, which baffles me given the output power of the Go Blu.

I use a Go Blu with my e5000, it has a more bassy sound than using a BTR5 or es100. It gets plenty loud with both 3.5mm and 4.4mm. Its a great sounding device and the bass boost rescued my A4000 from neglect.

When not adequately powered I found the E5000 can have an uneven sound with boomy bass. With an amp it sounds light on it's imaginary feet and the bass is tighter. I think people sometimes don't expect to have to raise the volume level so high with it, they set it to about where they normally do with other IEMs and judge it based on how it sounds at that level.

 

[Edric Li]

Not sure where guys are in the exploration of the wonderful E series, but assuming that you've gotten rid of the stock cable of E5000 (which is one of the worst IEM cable I've ever heard), and thinking that you are still not getting the resolution or air you desire and the bass is still boomy, instead of going down the rabbit hole of making everything else in your chain brighter, just get a E4000.

 

[Cheradenine]

Not sure where guys are in the exploration of the wonderful E series, but assuming that you've gotten rid of the stock cable of E5000 (which is one of the worst IEM cable I've ever heard), and thinking that you are still not getting the resolution or air you desire and the bass is still boomy, instead of going down the rabbit hole of making everything else in your chain brighter, just get a E4000.

I don't want brighter, I want it agile and a dark, deep, bassy sound. I put one of the plain black balanced Final cables on my e5000, I had no problem with the original cable, I just like the utilitarian style of the cheap c112 cables and it was getting close to max volume on my portable DAC/amp with 3.5mm.

 

[Edric Li]

I don't want brighter, I want it agile and a dark, deep, bassy sound. I put one of the plain black balanced Final cables on my e5000, I had no problem with the original cable, I just like the utilitarian style of the cheap c112 cables and it was getting close to max volume on my portable DAC/amp with 3.5mm.

Good for you. Yes, C112 is a much better cable than C106.

E4000 is dark, deep, bassy, btw. It is just less "unevenly boomy" by design. Something to keep in mind if you are having a hard time to "adequately power" your E5000. Maybe your adequately powered E5000 sounds just like an inadequately powered E4000, who knows.

 

[Cheradenine]

Good for you. Yes, C112 is a much better cable than C106.

E4000 is dark, deep, bassy, btw. It is just less "unevenly boomy" by design. Something to keep in mind if you are having a hard time to "adequately power" your E5000. Maybe your adequately powered E5000 sounds just like an inadequately powered E4000, who knows.

Its run off a HipDac or Go Blu. It sounds great, it needs the power, its only uneven and kind of slack if run off a phone headphone socket or other weak source. I don't want it brighter, I have other IEMs for a harder deeper bass but the e5000 is a pleasant all-rounder.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Its run off a HipDac or Go Blu. It sounds great, it needs the power, its only uneven and kind of slack if run off a phone headphone socket or other weak source. I don't want it brighter, I have other IEMs for a harder deeper bass but the e5000 is a pleasant all-rounder.

There was a folk asking me for opinion for an improved E5000 recently. In the end, we gave up because if you want that kind of sound signature, you are out of luck in today’s market.

I have great experience with E5000 and Hidizs S9 Pro, balanced.

 

[baskingshark]

There was a folk asking me for opinion for an improved E5000 recently. In the end, we gave up because if you want that kind of sound signature, you are out of luck in today’s market.

I have great experience with E5000 and Hidizs S9 Pro, balanced.

I auditioned the IKKO OH7 for about 45 mins and it is sort of an upgrade to the E5000. The OH7 is IKKO's flagship single DD, very smooth, warm tuning, big bass, thick note weight. It is a bit brighter than the E5000, and has better technicalities. Very organic timbre. The OH7 has 90 ohm impedance and requires amplification, but isn't as difficult to drive as the notorious E5000.

Only issue with the IKKO OH7, was that it was very expensive, almost $1K, and the diminishing returns are huge. The build looks plasticky also (it has some Viennese orchestral theme, but there is a huge seam in the middle of the shell).

 

[exsomnis]

Glad to see people still talking about and loving the E5000! I picked mine up 4 years ago in Tokyo from e-earphones, after spending almost the whole day auditioning something like 30 different IEMs - including the Final E1000-E4000 range. It was the clear winner for me, against the backdrop of unrealistic treble from most IEMs.

I'm going back in December and will make it a point to try out everything Final has now and see if there's a worthy upgrade. Plus other stuff as well, of course.

I actually have two pairs because at one point I thought I'd lost my original E5000s and panic bought another one. Found the original a few weeks later . The other one went to my wife who auditioned and chose it over everything else I had when she had to replace her own broken IEMs. She's no audiophile but she does appreciate balanced and natural sound.

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

Not sure where guys are in the exploration of the wonderful E series, but assuming that you've gotten rid of the stock cable of E5000 (which is one of the worst IEM cable I've ever heard), and thinking that you are still not getting the resolution or air you desire and the bass is still boomy, instead of going down the rabbit hole of making everything else in your chain brighter, just get a E4000.

Problem for me is I feel the E4000 isn’t worth it over 2000/3000. It lacks treble detail and refinement which is acceptable for the 2000/3000 because they are less than half the cost.

 

[Edric Li]

Problem for me is I feel the E4000 isn’t worth it over 2000/3000. It lacks treble detail and refinement which is acceptable for the 2000/3000 because they are less than half the cost.

I talked about this in my review, but C112 is a much superior sounding cable over the one used on 2000/3000. I thought the E3000 and E4000 are quite similar, except for the considerable difference the cable makes. As for pricing, IMO the E series *are* end-game if you know what you are looking for. I have heard FIR XE6, VE Erlkonig and E4000 side-by-side (FYI they are basically identical in FR), and I can't say E4000 was my least favorite. E500 for $25, or E5000 for $250, are all incredibly good deal. It's like $100 for a Ferrari vs $1000 for a Porsche; unless you are in serious financial trouble, it shouldn't come down to $100 vs $1000; it's a matter of Ferrari vs Porsche.

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

I’ll be testing out the e5000 within the next couple of weeks hoping it will be better than the 4000, it will be run balanced out of the Fiio KA3 which can supply a surprisingly high amount of power compared to other dongles.

 

[Cheradenine]

I’ll be testing out the e5000 within the next couple of weeks hoping it will be better than the 4000, it will be run balanced out of the Fiio KA3 which can supply a surprisingly high amount of power compared to other dongles.

You might be surprised at how high you need to raise the volume even with balanced. I probably listen a little louder than I should but, I'm listening to some Autechre now with the E5000 balanced through a Go Blu, volume is at about 70% at my preferred loudness level. I've heard that the KA3 is a great dongle, should have plenty of power.

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Is isolation super poor on the E2000 and E3000? I am looking for just that, proper low isolation for walking around in busy streets where I need a good level of awareness. I know there’s a filter at the back of the earpiece but Final seem to say it’s to prevent leakage of music to the outside world, not to stop noise from coming in. Those 2 E models are more or less the only true open-back iems I’ve found, as I don’t gel with Audeze at all and they’re too expensive for my use case (which also goes for the Shozy Back Hole).

I’ve tried earbuds in the shape of the Fiio FF3, which sound great and let in plenty of street rumor but fit me bad and all the fiddling is getting on my nerves.

Also, coming from the A3000 will I find the E leagues behind? I’m also on the fence as to which one to get. I find the A3000 really fine in spite of slightly off-timbre bass. A reviewer described it as a bit « tubby » and I concur. So I don’t know. Tempted by the E3000 because of the D8000-inspired tuning.

 

[Cheradenine]

The E3000/2000 aren't open back earphones, all earphones with a dynamic driver need to be vented like your A3000, this is often achieved with one or more pin size holes around the housing, the E3000/2000 back plate has multiple very fine perforations which serve the same purpose. This does not make them open backed, if it did you could describe any vented headphone or IEM as open. I don't find that the E3000 leaks much sound, in a completely silent room with music playing at high volume, someone might hear them faintly if they're invading your space. I don't find that any IEMs have very effective isolation in noisy places, you probably need to choose whether to hear your music at an enjoyable level or be able to hear your surroundings, you can't have both be equally effective, if you're paying attention to music your attention is divided.

I have an A4000, I didn't like it much at first and rarely used it for a year, its light on bass and too bright for me. I now use it a lot but only with an IFI Go Blu or HipDac with bass boost on, it sounds very different, like a different IEM. I assume that EQ can do the same or better. I immediately liked the E3000 when I got it 3 years ago, I don't use it much now as I prefer the E5000 but when I try it again I'm usually surprised at how nice it sounds. Its very easy going, a warm neutral sound with decent bass but nothing like the bass on the E5000. The sensitivity is a little higher than the A3000 though that may be offset by the A series better isolation.

 

[monsieurfromag3]

The E3000/2000 aren't open back earphones, all earphones with a dynamic driver need to be vented like your A3000, this is often achieved with one or more pin size holes around the housing, the E3000/2000 back plate has multiple very fine perforations which serve the same purpose. This does not make them open backed, if it did you could describe any vented headphone or IEM as open. I don't find that the E3000 leaks much sound, in a completely silent room with music playing at high volume, someone might hear them faintly if they're invading your space. I don't find that any IEMs have very effective isolation in noisy places, you probably need to choose whether to hear your music at an enjoyable level or be able to hear your surroundings, you can't have both be equally effective, if you're paying attention to music your attention is divided.

I have an A4000, I didn't like it much at first and rarely used it for a year, its light on bass and too bright for me. I now use it a lot but only with an IFI Go Blu or HipDac with bass boost on, it sounds very different, like a different IEM. I assume that EQ can do the same or better. I immediately liked the E3000 when I got it 3 years ago, I don't use it much now as I prefer the E5000 but when I try it again I'm usually surprised at how nice it sounds. Its very easy going, a warm neutral sound with decent bass but nothing like the bass on the E5000. The sensitivity is a little higher than the A3000 though that may be offset by the A series better isolation.

Thanks for that.

The size of the ports or vents is not always directly related to the amount of isolation, which is where it gets tricky. Probably because of the internal architecture of the earpieces. Sometimes a single port is enough to let in a lot, other times there’s an entire grille but barely a peep gets through.
How is isolation on the E5000 compared to the E3000?