FINAL AUDIO E1000 REVIEW: When Budget price meet Audiophile tuning

FINAL AUDIO DESIGN E1000 REVIEW :

SOUND: 9/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7.5/10
DESIGN: 8.5/10
VALUE: 9.5/10

After having pass lot of time with coloured sounding earphones I need to listen for reviews, it’s always great coming back home again, in my FINAL AUDIO cozy well ordered sweet sweet home.

Entering an acoustic univers where you feel everything is in the right place, not messy or dirty, with a clean air full of healty oxygene, big window full of sunshine to give natural light, soft carpet, purry siamese cat, beige painted wall, lot of plants- I take my shoes off and lay serenely in E1000 musicality.

Yeah, it feel really nice being home again and have a protective refuge from chaotic-noisy-violent-soulless Big Metropolis.

For tender mature soul, the Final Audio earphones are a blessing, it do not approach music like other audio company and this is even more conclusive when you’ve been brain burn in by 5 different iem taking V shape, trebly or plain unbalanced approach, E1000 feeling extremely well balanced compared to them and Lot of other earphones, whatever the price range.

Taking the fact I listen to music quite loud (to be able to mute infernal noise pollution), Final Audio earphones are more protective to my ears than more coloured iem, the proof being : I never have to lower or higer volume to achieve proper dynamic response. This is due to serious psychoacoustic research as well as patient, perfectionniest tuning only year of experience can achieve, and the result is in between flatness and musicality, wich I will call audiophile neutrality.

So, after my tremendous love story with the E4000 and E2000, can I still be impress by the 30$ entry level ultra budget friendly earphones Final Audio ever made or will it just be an inferior sounding one that I should have test before all other to get some musical joy??

I can already tell you without a doubt that the E1000 are extraordinary sounding iem for the price and that there no obvious best sounding earphone between them and E2000 or E3000, here its more a matter of taste and hearing perception because difference in tuning is subtle yet very hearable for somewhat trained ears. We can say the E1000 is the brighter little genius brother, but I cannot consider the E serie overly bright at all compared to harsher bright standard we refer too this word.

For more info about FINAL AUDIO DESIGN, go HERE

To note: right now the E1000 are kinda hard to find, but it’s possible to buy them on EBAY.

DISCLAIMER: I receive this earphone FREE of charge in exchange of my honnestly subjective review. I’m rarely a fan of company I review, so, this is a personal and subjective opinion too. I wanna thank Final Audio and especially my friend Kyo for this review sample and the great communication we have. I ask lot of question and can confirm Final Audio take very seriously any aspect of there product, I hope to humbly help them with my observation and do not count my time when I make review for them (because i’m fascinate by their sound tuning).

SPECS:

Product code
FI-E1DPLBU（BLUE）、FI-E1DPLRE（RED）、FI-E1DPLBL（BLACK）
Housing
ABS
Driver
6.4mmΦ dynamic driver
Cable
Black OFC
Sensitivity
102dB/mW
Impedance
16Ω
Weight
15g
Cord length
1.2m

EXTRA INFO ABOUT BURN IN (from Final Audio perspective):

Aging
Aging refers to the phenomenon whereby the sound produced by the earphones changes over time as they are used. There is a small driver unit – what could be called a speaker – inside the earphones; a diaphragm of extremely thin film is attached to this using a coil and an adhesive agent. With aural signals, the diaphragm moves in micronic increments while the coil moves, giving off sound. While it can’t be proven, we believe that in this situation, the adhesive section may possibly influence these infinitesimal movements. Using the product over a set period of time, the diaphragm moves more easily, and sound quality approaches the original design intent. This product has a small aperture, and so an extended period of time is necessary for changes through aging to become indecipherable. In general, if the product is used in a normal way over a period of 150 ~ 200 hours, it should feel that sound has become more subtle. A more favorable outcome can be obtained through aging of the product by listening to the music you normally listen to at a volume you usually listen at, rather than expediting aging through very high volumes or aging through noise. While not an accurate metaphor, when you make unnecessary movements to break in a pair of shoes, you’re bound to cause wrinkles different to those that occur when you walk normally. In the same way, rather than having the diaphragm move unnecessarily, it is better to think that it is more natural to break it in in the environment in which it is used.

There is also a psychological aspect to aging. Buying a new set of earphones, the impression you had of these earphones prior to buying them is by no means set in stone. You’re actually making a relative comparison between these and the earphones that you use on a daily basis. When you buy a new set of earphones and continue to use them for a set period of time, those earphones become the standard. An evaluation of sound quality based on continuing to use them until they become such a standard makes it easier to choose a product that you don’t get tired of over the long term.

CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & ACCESSORIES :

UNBOXING experience is more than minimalist, so open this box in hurry and take off the earphones and put it in your ears because there really nothing to see appart a bunch of nice extra eartips and this earphones your now gloriously enjoying.

CONSTRUCTION is very basic. 30$ basic? It depend to what products you compare because some earphones companies sure have better housing construction at this price in term of material used like alluminium or metal, as well, if you compare to the material used with the E2000 that cost 10$ more, you will sure feel underwhelmed by the look and feel of this light plastic housing. I cannot lie here : it look and feel a little cheap, especially the housing. For the cable, strangely, it look of better quality than E2000 or E3000, even if again, quite basic. Personally, i do not find ugly the E1000 and they are so small that they are barely visible by other people, as well, red and black color is nice, its more the strange glossy finish that have a cheapish look, to the point I was thinking there where a transparent sticker to pull off (there one when you open the box, but I was trying to pull off a second one that do not exist.).

DESIGN as always is excellent, very tiny, and now its more in the line up of E4000 wich is closed back with just a little venting hole near cable connection. E1000 have an even smaller venting hole wich make them excellent for isolation and low noise leakage.

On the street, with all this furious cars uproaring around me, I was relieve to discover how well the E1000 isolate me from noise pollution, once I enter the public library, listening at high volume energic modern jazz, nobody look at me as if I was sacrilegious to silence, so I conclude noise leakage was minimal, wich I conclude again testing them outside my ears blocking nozzle end with my finger. Yep, the E1000 aren’t impolite.

SOUND :

OVERALL SOUND IMPRESSIONS is extremely positive and just get better everyday : I adore how the E1000 are tuned: balanced, lightly punchy, mid centric, airy and rich in details…this type of masterfully articulate sound for such a low price is a real blessing for serious audiophile.

Even if lower bass is on the light dry side and mid bass do not feel very weighty, its all about agility of this soft attack that snap at the righ place and give mids extra presence and clarity, vocal are just enough bright to capt our attention and well centered in a circular soundstage.

Timbre feel transparent but realist, and whole mid range is well resolved. Treble never feel too harsh and bring the details in a natural way, it feel linear and well texured with just enough saturation to make whole sound enough transparent. Its impressive that the E1000 can sound airy without lot of decay and sparkle in highs section, but it does and do not feel lacking in microdetails.

SOUNDSTAGE is wide, not particularly tall or around your head, and deepness is average for the price.

SUB is neither rumbly and weighty, its flat, dry, well resolved and quite fast, it have a light timbre and good separation. It can make some lower range instrument sound thin like cello, acoustic bass, synth sub, but the bright clarity compensate this lightness.

MID BASS have enough punch and energy to make music lively. Timbre is well textured and have foward presence but do not slam hard and is more transparent than thick. Tigh and precise, mids bass do not bleed on lower mids and make them sound nearer than little shadowed lower range.

MIDS are fowards, extended, lively and have a frontal intimate approach. 1Khz to 6lhz range feel more emphased in a smooth controled curve wich make me consider E1000 as mid centric, it feel very rich and informative, climbing gently up to 6khz before gently going down, I can discerne naturaly whole diversity of instrument playing in this range, none taking the advantage on other, wich again impress me about timbre transparence and musicality. Even if top of the mid emphase can make upper range brighter, I do not heard unpleasant peaks or invasive sibilance. For example, piano note have good definition and impact, but do not produce long decay due to average background clarity.

TIMBRE feel extremely natural, yet somewhat bright and not juicy, its clear, well textured, lively and articulate. It’s only in sub bass and upper highs that it can sound a little dry.

TREBLE is quite foward and give extra texture and grip to everything under 12khz, where it begin to drop gently but less fast than with E3000 or E4000. Highs have good control and attack and are well layered, there not alot of sparkle or brilliance to them tough. What really impress with Final Audio Design earphones is the finess and maturity of talented treble, that permit great clarity without doing magic trick with sound colouring, like using particular treble peaks to give extra sharpness and attack to high. Details feel effortless and natural, and are presented in linear richness where everything feel on same level and balanced, even if this isn’t completly flat treble, psycho acoustic approach is very convaincing.

AMPING is needed for ANY Final Audio earphones and E1000 isn’t an exception, if not properly driven, it will sound thin and lack openess. E serie come alive well amped, an enough powerfull DAP or portable amp will do, but please, do not throw the earphones away if it sound dry or congested because its NOT how it should sound.

SUB : 6.5/10

MID BASS : 8/10

MIDS : 9/10

TREBLE : 8/10

TIMBRE : 8.5/10

SOUNDSTAGE : 8/10

ATTACK : 8.5/10

COMPARAISONS :

VS FINAL AUDIO E2000 (40$):

These are very similar sounding, like, really really similar as they have same sound signature wich is balanced with extra mid bass and fowards vocal with slight upper treble roll off that permit to achieve better clarity under 12khz region. E2000 have extra lushness and slightly deeper soundstage. That’s it, let’s close this here….nope, let’s get in details instead.

(here, i MAGNIFY my impressions, everything that I write is hearing trough a Microscope)

SOUNDSTAGE of E1000 is a little more airy due to more fowards sound approach in mids, it feel wider but little less deep because of brighter and less transparent sound than E2000.

BASS is more powerfull with E2000 , it feel rounder and tigher, about same speed and perhaps a little less textured of drier E1000 bass, wich have less sub extension than E1000. About powerfull bass, this isn’t basshead or V shape type of bass, its energic, accurate and lively.
MIDS are a little brighter with the E1000 and tend to be a little better separated due to softer mid bass punch, so we can conclude they are more mid centric. But in a sssssssssssssubtle way without problematic sssssssssssibilance from both of them. As said, similar, but the E1000 mids are little fuller and have less upper mids emphasis.

TREBLE is very revealing in lower and mid range until 14khz serious drop. On both you will find plenty of details and highs with natural decay and sparkle. E2000 have little more lower treble while E1000 have a little push in 10-12khz region that give a hint more brilliance.

VS FINAL AUDIO E3000 (50$):

SOUNDSTAGE of E1000 is taller-airyer-deeper while the E3000 is slightly wider.

BASS of E3000 have more sub presence and smoother mid bass, while E1000 is faster punchier and brighter.

MIDS of E1000 are more fowards, have wider presence and brighter timbre with more emphasis on upper range and cleaner lower range than E3000, wich feel warmer, thicker in the midrange.

TREBLE of E1000 is more linear, transparent and a little dryier than the E3000, wich feel more sparkly in upper range and more natural and relaxed. Timbre have a little more finess with pricier E3000.

AMPING is more needed for E3000 than for E1000.

VS CCA C10 (30$) :

The CCA C10 are giant budget killer right now, selling at around 30$ and having a well balanced multi drivers tuning for its price. With its single dynamic and 4 balanced armature driver, these do not sound artificial like must other sub-50$ multi drivers chifi iem. Let’s see if the E1000 can stand up against all these drivers with only a single 6mm micro dynamic one.

SOUNDSTAGE is about same wide but feel deeper and more around your head with the C10.

BASS is more sub emphased with the C10 while the E1000 have more punch, C10 sub can sound out of control sometime compared to tigher lower end of E1000 that got better and brighter timbre as well.

MIDS of E1000 feel fuller in response and more detailed, where the C10 have upper mids slight emphasis like the E1000 but smoother 1khz-4khz range. Vocal have more natural timbre and clearer presence than C10.

TREBLE of C10 extend a little more, but feel quite relaxed with extra peak in mid treble that E1000 do not have, so it can give a little more sparkle but not that much.

All in all, E1000 sound better balanced and more neutral than more bassy C10 that have dryier mids and more coloured treble.

CONCLUSION:

With the E2000, I was thinking Final Audio cannot give better price value in term of sound quality, but the 30$ E1000 prove me i’m wrong. Even if I have an intense passion for E2000 musicality, the E1000 excell to bring vocal even nearer me and have a slightly bigger soundstage, some day I prefer the E1000, other is the E2000, other, for more specific situation, its the E3000.

Sure, to achieve this type of sound at an extremely budget price, they make sacrifice in term of construction material and it will be lying if I say I do not notice this lower quality plastic housing, but to be honnest, I don’t care, it’s in my ears! But, perhaps I care about durability if I step on it…but at 30$, again, who care! Just don’t forget to recycle it if it happen to you, and keep the driver for some DIY project!

FINAL AUDIO DESIGN is an audio company that I hope will keep evolving in the futur, because they are truely serious and passionate about what they do. They give as much respect about sound quality of a 30$ earphones than a 300$ one, and there audiophile maturity is generous and curious. Perhaps it’s just me, but their way of tuning sound transform me into another type of critical listener, where timbre and tone became more important than details retreival. It’s not about pumping up the volume or the frequencies range here, its about learning to enjoy natural richness of music.

If you search for a real budget audiophile earphones that sound balanced, have rich midrange, lush treble and intimate but still wide soundstage, I really suggest you to give yourself a treat and discover at very cheap price what Final Audio masterfull tuning sound like.

The E1000 is the perfect introduction to serious audiophile, and I respect Final Audio to making fine neutral soundsignature accessible to the little wallet like mine.