Review – S’NEXT Final Audio E4000
Overview
Final Audio
E4000, one of the recent additions to the new E series from the very well known
S’NEXT Japanese audio company, and their final brand (or more
famous as Final Audio Design). Using a single dynamic driver with metal
shells and a very compact design, adding a detachable cable MMCX connection,
and priced at $150. With a bit of unique sound presentation, pleasant, engaging
and detailed, this is a very solid option to this price range.
Technical
Specifications
(Taken
from the S’NEXT Final site)
- Driver: 6.4mmΦ dynamic driver
- Connector: MMCX
- Cable: OFC cable
- Sensitivity: 97dB
- Impedance: 15Ω
- Weight: 18g
- Cord length: 1.2m
Price (msrp): U$D 149.
The included
accessory pack is rather limited with only the new Final Audio set of
tips that arrive in 5 different sizes from SS to XL, a unique round carry case with
a carabiner (or karabiner) to attach to it and a pair of short earguides.
Nothing unusual from the Final Audio models or from other Japanese companies,
unlike various Chinese manufactures that tend to pack their products with a
wide array of eartips selection, cases, cables and whatever more.
Design
& Build Quality
The E4000
takes a very compact design with the small dynamic driver of just 6.4mm inside.
The small cylindrical shaped earpieces are made of aluminum in a smooth matte
black color that give them a nice, elegant and discreet look. On the rear part
there is the Final Audio Design logo. At the bottom the R and L sides marking, while
the inner and outer sides have the ‘final’ and ‘E4000’ writings on them,
respectively. And finally, on the frontal part the nozzle has a thin mesh
material to act as filter (and might have a damping purpose too).
The material
is very lightweight and with very smooth surface they are very easy to fit for
practically any ear size. There’re no vents to be spotted on the housings, and
yet there is no driver flex issue on the E4000. The nozzle width is of the
standard ~5mm which should match several of the common aftermarket ear tips
options. The included ear tips are of good silicone quality; similar to the
Sony ‘hybrid’ tips but of a thicker/stiffer material, and do provide a very easy
seal. The bore on the included tips is likewise narrow and has its effect on
the overall sound presentation. Moreover, bi-flanges, SpinFit, Spiral Dot, and
many others can be used to tweak the sound a bit.
The
earpieces are really comfortable and can be used with cable either down or up.
The earguides are recommended to get a more secure fit, though the length of
the included guides is kind of short to surround the whole ear. Isolation is
around average though; the seal is good with any ear tips, just that the E4000
won’t block much of the outer ear with its thin and compact straight design.
The
connection is of the standard MMCX type. Haven’t tried to detach and reattach
them as the connection seems solid enough. The cable may look a bit plain but
is of good quality, nonetheless. Very soft with practically no noise when
moving around. Supposedly it has OFC wire material inside, which cannot be
confirmed with the solid black coating. It mainly consists of two separated
cables attached together from the plug up to the split. The plug is made of
strong aluminum material too and seems very durable. The y-split is not as
tough, made simply of a plastic or rubbery material, but it also means no extra
weight. The MMCX plugs are well covered, though there is no real strain relief
around them; not much of an issue as the cable is soft enough and there’s
always the possibility to replace the whole cable.
Sound
Impressions
The E4000 is
one of the new additions to the Final Audio E series, all currently using a
single dynamic driver of 6.4mm diameter. Arguably, this size of driver might be
considered as a micro-dynamic driver when used as an only driver for an in-ear
option, while it is also used as tweeter on multi-dynamic driver setups. Nevertheless,
regardless the driver technical details, the E4000 is not something to be
considered as small in sound quality and its presentation.
While being
among the less effective IEM sets I’ve tried in years, extra power is not
essential to bring the E4000 to its best performance, but just requires a
higher volume step to achieve a proper listening volume. Overall, the E4000 has
a slightly warm, yet full and rich presentation that keeps a very enjoyable
balance from bass to treble without over boosting a specific region, and still
it manages not to miss in any particular part. It is definitely not a signature
that should classify as ‘neutral’ or too flat; the E4000 does carry a certain
coloration to the sound, however it is presented in such a very natural and
musical way.
The bass is
full, well defined and rich. There is a small lift on the mid-bass area that is
not too offensive but yet present when called forth. The control is excellent
and the speed while not the fastest it fails to be slow. Attack and decay feel
very natural and coherent. Layering is surprisingly very good with nice detail
and separation. Sub-bass too, is of very good quality, and while not with best
extension the depth and rumble are very enjoyable and the E4000 is capable of
giving a thunderous yet controlled bass response if the track has it.
In
comparison, the E4000 has much a stronger and defined bass than the Vsonic GR07
and higher control too. The iBasso IT01 is darker and together with the Lear
Kaleido are closer to the heavy-bass category than the E4000 could be. On the
other hand, Dunu Falcon-C or the new Advanced GT3 while not smaller in
quantities, are faster and tighter than the E4000 which has a smoother flow.
The midrange
is a strength of the E4000. It is slightly forward, warm and very rich. Balance
from low to upper mids is great, though there is a noticeable emphasis on the
upper mid region that gives a higher priority to female singers and upper
instruments as well. Brass and strings instruments on this upper region simply
shine with the E4000, though they tend to take some more attention from the
listener, but the texture is really nice and sound very engaging. Foam tips if
used, may take down the emphasis a little if more neutrality is wanted. Male
voices also sound detailed and textured, though the E4000 is better with
Japanese male singers on J-rock/pop genres (not much of a surprise being a Japan
made earphone). There is no noticeable bloat from the upper bass region, just
some fullness and warmer tonality that merges into the whole mids.
Apart from
the very specific emphasis on the lower treble, the whole treble is smooth but
still carries enough energy and sparkle. The extension is more than competent
for a below $200 in-ear set and didn’t show any peak even with brighter tracks.
Micro detail is easy to discern without having a very upfront and aggressive
treble.
Stage is not
very wide, but the presentation doesn’t sound closed or congested. The E4000
can handle complex music without much effort, but of course, not in the way as
more analytical tuned earphones.
On the other
hand, transparency is not where the E4000 stands out, and wouldn’t fill under a
very ‘liquid’ description. It is airy, accurate and has very good separation,
and it is more about being dynamic and very coherent instead of trying to show
strong technical characteristics. Immersive, easy to listen and simply musical
in the Final Audio type of tuning.
Value
With the
E4000 we can see quite an affordable earphone from final audio that
deserves a high value rating. It offers not only an uncompromising discreet and
compact design which is really comfortable and solidly built with the
detachable cable option (even though it’s MMCX standard), but most importantly
sounds really good. It is a good example that mixes quantity and quality all
together, with a strong sense of musicality, good control, accuracy and not good
overall detail. The slightly colored sound may not fit everyone tastes but it
is a very enjoyable in-ear set.