Final ZE8000 Review: Unveiling the Future of Wireless Audio

If you’re looking for the best possible sound quality in a pair of wireless earbuds, these are a great option. Read our Final ZE8000 review!

Are you ready to experience the future of wireless audio? Then you need to check out the $349 Final ZE8000 flagship TWS earbuds. Pioneering the next generation of wireless sound technology, these cutting-edge headphones promise to transform your listening experience into something extraordinary. With its sleek design, refined sound quality, and innovative features, the Final ZE8000 is set to revolutionize how you enjoy music, movies, and more.

In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve into the remarkable features of the Final ZE8000, explore its novel design, and uncover why it is an intriguing choice for audio enthusiasts. Prepare to be captivated by the remarkable audio performance and immerse yourself in a world of sonic excellence with the Final ZE8000.

Final ZE8000 Review: Key Features and Specifications

In Final’s lineup, the code “8000” symbolizes their top-of-the-line models that embody the culmination of their resources, technology, and expertise. According to the company, they reserve this label for their products that are truly unique and extraordinary.

8K SOUND DSP

The Final ZE8000 boasts an impressive array of features and specifications that set it apart from its competitors. At the heart of these headphones is Final’s 8K SOUND Digital Signal Processing (DSP), which delivers an unmatched level of clarity and natural sound quality. This technology is designed to cover the complete audio spectrum, bringing out every nuance and detail of the sound. This advanced processing takes a toll on battery life, so you can turn 8K SOUND off in the companion app if you need to conserve energy.

f-CORE for 8K SOUND Driver

In addition to its remarkable digital processing, these earbuds are equipped with Final’s “f-CORE for 8K SOUND” ultra-low distortion driver. It features a 13mm diaphragm with a lightweight aluminum-magnesium dome attached to its surround via injection molding instead of glue. That surround is made from very flexible silicone.

As a result, the diaphragm is significantly light and is said to have a stable piston motion during vibration, thanks to the absence of common adhesives. Final says the “f-CORE for 8K SOUND” sets a new standard for wireless earphones and IEMs, delivering the lowest THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion Plus Noise) among its counterparts.

AB Class Amplifier & PML CAPs

Along with the advanced DSP and driver, the ZE8000 incorporates a Class-AB amplifier (instead of the Class-D amps used by the competition), known for its balance between sound quality and power efficiency. This promises faithful music reproduction with lower distortion.

Additionally, the decoupling capacitors for the DSP microchip are high-performance PML CAPs designed by Rubycon, a renowned Japanese manufacturer. They are said to achieve significantly lower distortion compared to typical components. Final says this provides a cleaner and more accurate output. Regardless of the result, I’m impressed that a company would put this much effort into a wireless earphone.

Sound Quality Prioritized Active Noise Canceling

Regarding Active Noise Canceling, Final sought to find a solution to the problem of degraded sound quality and aural discomfort caused by active noise canceling (ANC) in headphones and earphones. Their answer was a special noise-canceling algorithm that aims to eliminate ambient noise without corrupting sound quality or causing discomfort inside the ear. This is supported by high-quality Knowles MEMS microphones, tasked to enhance the accuracy and performance of the ANC algorithm, “ensuring a stress-free and authentic audio experience.”

I have to say; I found the ZE8000’s ANC to live up to its promise of “non-destructive” and natural-sounding noise canceling. It also does it while providing some of the most effective ANC on the market. I found it to be just as good as the class leaders (think Sony and Technics), and it has less of that bothersome ANC “hiss” than those earphones.

Additionally, the ZE8000 has four listening modes as part of its ANC setup. Users can switch between modes to suit their needs via touch control or the mobile companion app (more on this later).

The Active Noise Canceling Mode blocks background noise, Ambient Sound Mode combines music with external sounds, and The Voice-Through Mode prioritizes voice and ambient sound for clear conversations without removing the earphones. Lastly, the Wind-Cut Mode minimizes wind noise interference in gusty conditions. All listening modes worked well and as advertised.

Beamforming for Call Clarity

The ZE8000 utilizes a beamforming algorithm to enhance call quality. With strategically placed microphones, the algorithm analyzes and isolates the user’s voice from background noise in real time, which does help with call clarity. I took several phone calls with these earphones, and I had no issue understanding the person on the other end, and they had no problems hearing me.

Battery Life

The earphone’s Battery life is a little below average, lasting between 4-5 hours depending on usage of ANC and 8k sound processing. The case can charge them up entirely about two more times for 15 hours total playback time. The charging time is about 1.5 hours for the earphones and 2 hours for the case. You can fast charge the earphones for 5 minutes and get 45 minutes of playback in a pinch.

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Final ZE8000 Review: Design and Build Quality

At first glance, I found the ZE8000 to have an understated yet premium look that doesn’t depend on shiny trim or a metallic color to import sophistication. What it does have is Final’s marble-like “Shibo” finish to add a nice texture which makes it look attractive to the eye and provides a gratifying sensation when held in hand.

Regarding earpieces, the Final ZE8000 boasts a somewhat unique (and large) design that separates the battery, driver, and circuitry from the attachment point, resulting in a minimized portion that neatly fits into the ear’s concha. While the arrangement looks a little unusual, it does help with overall comfort and balance.

The earbuds come with five pairs of Final’s TYPE Q ear tips (SS S M L LL), each equipped with integrated stabilizers to enhance stability during active movements. I did indeed find the fit quite stable, but the size of the tips did take some getting used to, as I needed the large size to get the proper seal.

Overall, I found the comfort decent but probably just a step below the comfort you get from a pair of AirPod Pros with a similar fit.

The earbuds also have filters to prevent dust from entering and an IPX4 rating, providing sweat resistance. These features make the ZE8000 suitable for workouts and outdoor activities.

Due to the oversized earpieces, the case is also on the large side, with a big door that slides up to accommodate the earphones. This makes it easy to put the earbuds in, but it also means you won’t be stashing them in your pants pocket.

Overall, the build feels solid, with the earpieces and case well constructed. The only thing that concerns me is the sliding door on the case, as it sticks out pretty far on its hinge but doesn’t wiggle around at all, so it should stand up to routine use.

Final ZE8000 Review: Interface and Controls

On the side of each earpiece is a rather sizeable touch-sensitive surface that provides a base for the ZE8000’s touch controls. The controls are pretty responsive, and each press is confirmed by clear tones and voice prompts inside the earphones.

On the other hand, the layout of the controls isn’t all that intuitive, so they take some getting used to. For example, on most wireless earphones, a double tap on either earbud changes tracks, but on the ZE8000, it changes volume, which caused me some confusion at first (as did some of the other touch control options).

Final ZE8000 Review: Connectivity Options and Compatibility

The ZE8000 uses Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity, and the connection to my Samsung phone and my Creative Bluetooth dongle was quick and stable. Even going between floors in my house, the earphones played the music without a hitch, even when set to the high-quality 8K Sound DSP.

As far as Bluetooth audio codecs go, these earphones support Snapdragon Sound, Qualcomm’s latest audio platform. It offers aptX Adaptive technology, which allows for compressed “high-resolution” sound at 24-bit/96kHz with good quality and minimal lag. They are also compatible with the SBC, AAC, and standard aptX codecs.

I love how apxX Adaptive sounds, but the problem I have with it is the lack of popular devices that support it. I have the top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy and Apple iPhone models, which are top-selling products, and neither uses this platform.

Apple only uses stock SBC or AAC with most earphones other than their own, but most Android devices use LDAC as a “high-resolution” option, and the ZE8000 isn’t compatible with that. I only know of a few Motorola, ASUS, and Sony phones that use it, and those phones aren’t exactly flying off the shelves.

Final CONNECT app

As I said earlier, the ZE8000 has a free companion app (iOS and Android) for additional functionality. It’s called the “final CONNECT” mobile app, and it has a clean design that offers a wide range of features, including battery level monitoring and ANC Mode switching.

Additionally, the app has a PRO Equalizer that allows for fine-tuning sound without compromising quality, and it also has an enhanced volume control called the Volume Step Optimizer. The PRO EQ is a powerful tool as it allows for very precise adjustment of the earphones’ sound, but I wish there were some preset EQ options.

The Volume Optimizer is also a pretty cool feature, as it provides finer volume adjustment beyond what your phone can do. Most phones have wide steps between volume levels, making it hard to get the right one. This feature adds more volume steps to set your level with greater precision.

Users can personalize their experience even further by selecting the voice guidance language (only Japanese & English, however), and you can also turn on the 8K SOUND option on/off from the app.

Final ZE8000 Review: Audio Quality and Performance

For my sound tests, I connected the ZE8000 to the $48 Creative BT-W5 BT Dongle and played many tunes from my Tidal “Test Tracks” playlist. I used the Creative Dongle because it can transmit aptX Low Latency and is also a very clean-sounding device.

Initially, I listened with aptX LL set to the standard Low Latency setting, and I was immediately impressed with the ZE8000’s detail and depth. Listening to “Dos Gardenias” from the Buena Vista Social Club’s “Carnegie 25” album, I was in love with how natural the horn and vocal sounded, along with the realistic spacial cues and remarkable separation.

With aptX LL set to the HQ (high quality) setting on the dongle, all of these qualities improved substantially, making the ZE8000 sound remarkably close to a good pair of wired earphones. All the rest of my impressions are with the HQ setting engaged on the dongle.

Compared to my Apple AirPod Pros (2nd gen), which sounds almost perfect for a portable audio experience, the detail and separation were much more refined, and the clarity was taken up another notch. That said, the AirPods still managed to sound a little more open and airy through the midrange, which exposes my main issue with the ZE8000’s sound.

That would be their somewhat closed-in nature in the midrange due to the sculpted V-shaped sound signature. This makes them sound very exciting with genres like dance and electronica, but with many other genres, like vocal and jazz, they don’t sound as open and musical as I would like. This is especially true with music that isn’t well recorded and has a lot of spatial cues within the track itself.

When I bumped up the upper mids or presence region with the EQ in the Creative BT app, I got the openness and airiness I was craving, but at the expense of some of the ZE8000’s smoothness up top.

I also found the dynamics slightly soft, as they didn’t quite punctuate the rhythm like the aforementioned AirPods Pro or my Technics AZ80 earphones.

That said, neither of those top-rated earbuds sounded as clean or detailed as the ZE8000. These earphones also have the best separation of any wireless earbud I have heard thus far. If you want a wireless earbud that sounds the closest to a wired one, I don’t think you will beat this model from final.

Final ZE8000 Review: Price and Availability

The Final ZE8000 is priced competitively considering its advanced features, exceptional audio quality, and premium build quality. While it may not be the most affordable option on the market, one can say, based on the complexity of its technology, it offers excellent value for money. The headphones are available for purchase through authorized retailers and online stores like Amazon, making them easily accessible to audiophiles and enthusiasts.

Final Verdict: Is the Final ZE8000 Worth It?

In conclusion, the Final ZE8000 headphones are a testament to the future of wireless audio technology. With its exceptional sound quality, innovative features, and top-notch noise canceling, these headphones are a true game-changer in the industry. Whether you’re a music lover, a movie enthusiast, or a gamer, the Final ZE8000 delivers an unparalleled audio experience.

While the price may be a consideration for some, the Final ZE8000 offers excellent value for money. Its advanced technologies, relatively comfortable fit, and superior build quality make it a worthwhile investment for anyone seeking the best in overall audio performance. I just wish the audio was slightly more balanced out of the box.

So, if you’re ready to take your wireless listening experience to new heights, check out the Final ZE8000.

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