Final Audio A8000 IEM Earphones

Final Audio A8000 IEM Earphones

 

The Final Audio A8000 IEM Earphones stand out as a pinnacle of audio engineering, designed to deliver transparent sound that transcends conventional listening experiences. Through meticulous development and the implementation of groundbreaking technologies, these earphones redefine high-fidelity audio.

At the core of the A8000 is the adoption of a Truly Pure Beryllium Diaphragm, renowned for its lightweight properties and exceptional sound speed. This diaphragm material enables unparalleled time response, resulting in a sound quality characterised by remarkable clarity, sharpness, and nuanced dynamics. Crafted through meticulous engineering, the A8000 ensures every sound is faithfully reproduced with precision and transparency.

Moreover, Final Audio has approached sound design with careful consideration for the relationship between spatial impression, dynamic range, and the physical characteristics of earphones. By balancing these factors, the A8000 delivers an immersive listening experience across a wide range of musical genres. Whether it's the expansive spatial orientation of classical music or the clarity-driven presentation of pop and rock, these earphones excel in capturing the essence of each recording.

Unlike products focused solely on niche preferences, the A8000 prioritises universality, aiming to provide an uplifting musical experience that resonates with a diverse audience. Through its superior time response and versatile sound signature, the A8000 transcends boundaries, catering to audiophiles and music enthusiasts alike.

 

Features

• Adoption of Truly Pure Beryllium Diaphragm
• Balancing Musical Genres with Universally Good Sound
• Customised Fit
• Precisely Cut Stainless Steel Chassis with "Tetra-Chamber Construction"
• MMCX Connector & Original High Purity OFC Silver Coated Cable
• MMCX ASSIST for Easy Plug Removal

 

Adoption of Truly Pure Beryllium Diaphragm

The A8000 employs a diaphragm made from ultra-thin Beryllium foil (Truly Pure Beryllium Diaphragm), which is said to be an ideal diaphragm material due to its light weight and high sound speed. With a specific gravity of 1.85 and a sound propagation velocity of 12,900 m/s, second only to that of diamond, Beryllium has ideal characteristics for a diaphragm material. The adoption of pure Beryllium will lead to improved time response that greatly transfigures sound into transparent. The sharpness of sound build-up and the lingering resonance of the sound can be clearly felt, as can the silence between sounds. Crafting thin pure Beryllium foil is difficult. Our engineers had to struggle to make it stable enough for the product, but it can be said to be a valuable material that pays off our hard works. In order to realise transparent sound through such superior materials, the same high quality has been demanded of the other components of the drive unit as well as the design and manufacturing technology. We have succeeded in leveraging the experience of developing and manufacturing our own dynamic drive unit to draw forth the advantages of pure Beryllium. ※ In the past, a Beryllium diaphragm was created by vacuum deposition of a thin coat of Beryllium onto a resin film. This was effective as an improvement methodology, but the characteristics of the film remain predominant. When pure Beryllium is used as the only material for the sound producing part of the diaphragm, the sound and characteristics are completely different.

 

 

Balancing getting an uplift from a wide range of musical genres with universally good sound.

Sound design for these models has been undertaken with attention to the relationship between spatial impression and dynamic range of music, and the physical characteristics of earphones and headphones. We have categorized sound creation on music recording onto these two axes: spatial impression and dynamic range.

 

One way of thinking regards the distance perception. Classical and jazz recordings are thought to be performed with emphasis on aspects of spaciousness, such as sense of distance, broadness and reverberation. On the other hand, rock, pops and many of the recent animation soundtrack recordings, spaciousness is not as highly emphasised. There is thought to be greater emphasis on clarity, which brings the various instruments and vocals to the front.

 

Another approach is dynamic range - in other words, changes in loudness over time. If the dynamic range is wide, naturally it is possible to use the change in loudness over time to achieve a more dynamic expression of music. But, there are some types of music for which narrower dynamic range recordings are preferable to allow each of the instruments and vocals to ordinarily appear before the listener’s eyes.

 

The difference between these two ways of thinking pertains not to which is superior but rather differences in how music is composed and what is demanded of it. With regard to classical music, and that played by orchestra in particular, the spatial orientation of instruments is particularly important. Stringed instruments are positioned nearest to the audience with wind and percussion placed behind them. Should the balance between the spatial orientation and volume of each group of instruments collapse, the music would disintegrate. For that reason, uniform clarity of sound that allows each instrument to appear before the eyes of the listener is not demanded of this type of music. Even for classical music, a string quartet, for example, would have a narrow dynamic range and the clarity of each instrument would be more prominent. For rock and pops on the other hand, spaciousness is not as necessary as for classical music, and so there is greater emphasis on clarity than spaciousness.

These preconditions are very important, particularly for earphone and headphone listening, and it has become apparent that the implementation of appropriate target curves and driver design result in deeper enjoyment of music.

 

Please refer to the below graph with spaciousness and clarity of music set on the X axis and dynamic range set on the Y axis.

The superior time response of the A8000 imparts it with sound quality that is capable of providing an uplift from a wide range of music that approaches the extent of the D Series, from the clarity of pop and rock music with a narrow dynamic range all the way to the spatial impression of classical and jazz music with a wide dynamic range. The most distinct characteristic of the A8000 is that it realises such sound quality not by its ability to create sound capable of attracting a small number of wild fans through its strong individuality, but rather sound aimed at greater universality.

The Feeling of a Customised Fit

Based on the IEM chassis design developed for the B series that has become established as an ideal solution, the A8000 realises a superior sense of fit. Whether or not the fit of earphones feels superior is determined by the sense of oppression. While at first glance it may seem correct to select an ergonomically praised organic shape to be held in place by the elasticity of silicon, this places ordinary pressure on the ear that serves as an unwary burden and leads to accumulation of fatigue. In limiting the area of contact in comparison to an organically shaped surface that comes in contact with a large area of the ear, this product aims for a sense of fit with no feeling of oppression. For that reason, it is suitable for the ears of many different people. If there is no feeling of oppression at any of the points of contact, that makes for such a comfortable, superior feeling of a customised earphone fit.

 

Precisely cut stainless steel chassis with "Tetra-Chamber Construction"

The volume and shape of the chambers in front of and behind the dynamic drive unit have a great impact on sound quality. Particularly, operation of the newly developed true Beryllium driver is extremely delicate, and it is impacted greatly by the spaces in the chassis. The internal design of the chassis can be calculated to some extent through simulations, but after that repeated trials of an actual product must be conducted until the sound quality targets are reached. For the A8000, in order to optimise operation of the driver, the inside of the driver unit chassis is divided into four chambers (Tetra-Chamber Construction); the driver ante-chamber and the double construction driver post-chamber and the MMCX connector portion are separated into different chassis. The driver is direct mounted into the ante-chamber of the chassis by a design that suppresses unnecessary vibration to achieve a distinct sound contour. Additionally, the use of four chambers achieves a balance between volume and tightness in the low-range while at the same time preventing leakage of sound.

 

MMCX ASSIST for easy plug removal

An item for the smooth insertion and removal of earphone cables using an MMCX connector.

Using MMCX ASSIST the plug can be removed with surprising ease by applying proper force to the MMCX connector in the direction for cable removal,

It also prevents the contingency of the cable from becoming severed by mistakenly pulling on the cable portion of the MMCX connector plug.

 

Aluminium & Silicone hybrid carry case

The aluminium carry case has been designed to strike a balance between fitting in your pocket and protecting the A8000. Cut aluminium is used for portions to which force is applied. The interior is a soft silicone dome to prevent scratching. Attention to detail is evident by other labor, such as inclusion of an internal partition to prevent the chassis from getting scratched by moving back and forth.

 

Specification

• Product code: FI-A8DSSD
• Housing: Stainless
• Driver: Dynamic driver（Truly Pure Beryllium Diaphragm)
• Connector: MMCX
• Cable: OFC silver coated cable
• Sensitivity: 102dB
• Impedance: 16Ω
• Weight: 41g
• Cord length: 1.2ｍ

 

About Final Audio

Final Audio, established in 2007 as a subsidiary of Molex before becoming independent in 2014, specialises in high-end audio earphones and headphones. Renowned for their unique sound quality and design, Final has carved out a distinct niche in the market, both in Japan and abroad. They aim to create products with lasting value, akin to mechanical wristwatches, emphasising design and repairability. As an organisation, Final seeks to engage employees at every level, making every aspect of their work meaningful and interesting.