[shigzeo]

Indeed. The design is aimed not for the usual audiophile market, but those who will buy a product rather than just performance. One thing is for sure, the high and mid frequency echo and performance of these earphones is stunning. Stunning. The driver is a huge 16 mm and the smaller, plastic one is 13,5 mm. The metal ones are made in Japan whilst the others in the Philippines. I did not hear the middle one, but from what I understand the metal ones share the same driver and differ only in housing material.

Either way, the sound is good from each which I demoed. I will have a proper write-up up later.

 

[shigzeo]

While I have a hard time recommending the ergonomics of these earphones, the Stainless steel version (800$) is a very expensive, very good sounding earphone. And it is made well. Nothing is perfect. Balancing 22g inside the ear is hard and any sudden movement will dislodge it. The cable is nylon coated, but much, much better than typical nylon cables ala Maximo and Zagg.

But, there is not a better, more natural sound I have heard among dynamics. It is fast despite the massive 16 mm driver. One thing which Final have really hit is echo perfection. I can describe it in no other way at the moment as it is too early for a real review. But, I am considering that this earphone could actually be a replacement for home headphones. Yes, it is annoying to wear, and harder to drive for many reasons: @ 16 ohms and 108 db, it hisses with many sources, but it is so natural. Some portables will have a hard time providing enough bass for it, but if they can, it really is top.

While its price really dictates that the earphone should perform well, I am glad to say it does. It is annoying to use and is not good for outside ever - at all. But, it has a lot going for it. If it ends up performing well with an impedance adapter, it may be the earphone that puts my some of my favourite headphones to rest. Of course, it doesn't engage the outer ear, and positioning is hard. It is cold in the winter.

But, its echo is nigh on perfection. A review will come later, or at least a close look at it. Anyway, while perhaps too expensive, I can see the market for it for those who must have the best materials and a sound which commands the price. It is far more natural than the IE8 and about 2x the price. It hasn't a sonic problem.

Bass isn't as heavy as some other earphones, that is for sure. Treble and mids are sharp, clean, but have very sonorous echos which make vocals beautiful. Again, I prefer the Steel version to the top end brass version which is probably best for a limited range of music as it is hot: treble and mids are warbly, too excited (free of sibilance or grain) for fast music.

Very, very recommended, but very very confusing product. I wish they would make a lighter version which was less expensive. The model below the Steel version I have not heard, but may in March get the chance. The Steel one, is simply incredible.

 

[james444]

Would be interesting to know how these perform with an impedance adapter driven from the AMP3. BTW can they be worn over-ear?

 

[shigzeo]

They can, but they are more comfortable this way. The body is heavy enough that cable noise is minimal. The nylon coating is also much softer than Zagg or Maximo's and makes less noise even near the earpiece. I will probably be fashioning a new 200 ohm impedance cable or something because I don't like nubby adapters. But, I think this rather adept earphone will like the AMP3.

 

[shigzeo]

I haven't been able to take them out but by the very heftiest will. There is something addiction about the very sharp BA-esque edges of echos. Fast, big, beautiful. This is THE best dynamic earphone I have heard. It retains the best parts of impact of dynamic driver earphones and on-a-tack imaging of balanced armature earphones; proof that dynamics need not only a good driver, but a great housing. I really would like to hear the cheaper 500$ one when I go back to Tokyo so I can report on how its housing and the stock sound are together.

800$ is a lot to ask, but this isn't even close to the same neighbourhood as the next in line dynamic earphones and ranks very very highly among any earphone at any price. Of course, use isn't that easy, price is very high, and there is no isolation. But, this easily could replace my big headphones for a number of listening venues.

 

[timmyGCSE]

vs the 13's Shigzeo?

 

[shigzeo]

They are very different. I would feel 'fake' if comparing a universal to the JH13Pro. The Final Audio are more like a headphone since the driver is larger than half the size of quite a number of smaller headphones.

But the housing is done perfectly. I will admit that the JH13Pro is about as good as it gets for all-round music, but it does not add 'perfume' to certain musics. The steel version of the final audio is 800$ and DOES atmosphere which the JH13Pro cannot in slower, vocal music, speeds up in fast music, but like the JH13Pro, is most at home in natural musics.

I cannot compare a custom versus a universal as they sound, fit and feel different. But I can say that the Final Audio is worth its asking price (800$) if you are interested in a certain genre or field of music. It does trance and electronic well, but better with slower music. Think Prefuse 73 versus Armin Van buuren.

What I can hear with the JH13Pro, I can feel with the Final Audio. Of course, there is no isolation and fit is much more finicky. But in the end, it seats in a large concha like a headphone and the price shouldn't fall like that of a used custom.

Final Audio don't have vendors in every country either as they are quite small. If I were to give them a rating now, I would say 'grab', but I am unsure of how strong the grab is. The sound is astounding - devoid of typical dynamic earphone problems, but then again, it costs more. If you listen to acoustic, guitar, etc., this phone is supreme, but if you listen to very fast music, it is better to get a balanced armature earphone which delineates the high and mid better.

For 800$, I have no idea if there is a better.

 

[JMURRAY16]

Interesting thread for sure.....wonder if these are available at all in the US?

 

[david1978jp]

It is available at ebay for $1000, the stainless steel model FI-DC1601SS.
Final Audio Design　FI-DC1601SS new type headphones - eBay (item 200413681960 end time Jan-02-10 07:55:24 PST)

 

[Bemopti123]

Man, I had been researching about Final Audio Laboratories, their former name and now they are called Final Audio Designs on the web until I stumbled upon that Ebay auction.

I could not believe my eyes. Final Audio Labs left their representation for the US market back around 4 years ago through Venus Hifi. Most of the stuff that floats around the used Hifi market in the US are those Final Music Laboratories battery powered Music amplifiers.

Fortunately, I am the proud owner of their Music 5 and Music 6 battery amplifiers and their respective tubed power supplies.

Even an electronics expert who went over one of my Music units said that they were quite empty, with bare number of parts and yet, for their electrical function there was not need to spend $$$ in parts that do not have an audible effect.

Therefore the criticism that their gear might be geared for people who are more into the "Design" rather than the sound is further from the truth.

Remember that their "Design" acronym has been around for just a couple of years and to my ears, their audio credentials are more than respectable as you can attest to their audio design products that go back to almost 40 years.

One thing that is certain, their equipment is quite quirky, some reviewers claimed that their amplifiers had the looks of gear that you seen in Scifi movies from the 1950s and that I agree with.

The price that they charge for their earphones have to do with the smallness of the operation that they run. I think that some of their production units run into just the 100s and never surpass 1000 or more. Due the small number of products made, the prices that they charge for them tend to be artificially high. They cannot escape this economic reality.

Whatever choice of materials and design that they make is more than just aesthetics, in the case of the casing materials for the headphones, they might indeed look high crafted, extravagant but there is a purpose behind it all.

Resonance and enclosure materials are key to any sort of loudspeaker design and in the case of earphones, why would they be any different.

Until recently, most of the IEMs were made out of plastic or silicone while their dynamics units had advanced in terms of complexity or execution.

If you see the very best dynamic loudspeakers out there regardless of cost, some of the very most successful and well rated designs make sure that their cabs are inert and one company that comes to my mind makes sure that their cabs are made out of solid chunks of metal, aluminum.

As an owner of a $400 pair of IEMs, I wished that its maker had put more effort into the armature that Final Audio Design has placed.

But, if that were the case, how much would they charge for what I have?

Perhaps $1K for sure.

When I see the quality of execution of Final Audio Design earphones, I am feel "cheated" of my $400 that I paid for the design I have, especially when this company is US based while it makes their headphones in the Far East with really outright cheap materials.

I hope someone decides to represent their lines again the US. When I get more $$$ together, I will surely try a pair of their earphones.

 

[shigzeo]

The earphones they make are not armatures, by moving coil dynamic drivers. The smaller (plastic ones) are 13,5 mm and the large ones: 16 mm. Both are very good, but the metal ones blow the plastic ones out of the water.

The cable could be better though it is far more 'decent' than other nylon cables I have used (Maximo, Zagg, Head-direct). And use is: good or horrible. The size of the housing will be too big for some people to use at all (won't fit in the concha), and for those who can stuff the housing in, they sit somewhat precariously till you can figure out how to balance them.

Those quibbles aside, yeah, the price is due to their operational size: one; and certainly their image: two; and of course, materials and quality: three. I wish that they would have a design which would work for everyone's ears as that is essential. You wouldn't want to plop down 500 or 800 dollars for an earphone which may or may not fit. Otherwise, I like the approach very much.

The plastic ones should fit into every ear however.

 

[james444]

FYI here are some frequency and response measurements of the $500 FI-DC1601SB brass model versus the ER-4P (Google translation).

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by james444 /img/forum/go_quote.gif FYI here are some frequency and response measurements of the $500 FI-DC1601SB brass model versus the ER-4P (Google translation).

Wow, that FR curve is really all over the place.

 

[FenderP]

All I can say is that the 1601SB I own sounds fantastic and it's one of the best audio purchases I've ever made. I had plenty of time on the plane flights around Asia and back to the States, and then after to listen over the past month to reinforce my thoughs on 'em.

There's plenty of bass, and I find it's at least equal to the IE8s on all the material I've thrown at it. I also get about as much isloation as the IE8 with mine, and they're much more comfortable. Heavy? Yes, but they fit naturally at least in my ear.

I use tips on them, not the metal ones (you can use one or the other). I find the metal ones not as comfortable and don't sound as good to my ears.

I'm sure the 1601SS ones sound better, but I couldn't justify the extra few hundred bucks as the 1601SBs were expensive enough!

 

[FenderP]

BTW, the 1601SBs are 59,800 yen ($650 US), and the 1601SS 79,800 ($850 US). They don't really have a $500 headphone ... just saying.