Final Audio’s New Wireless Earbuds Are Amazingly Cheap

Final Audio, a boutique company from Japan known for its high-quality audio products, has unveiled its latest wireless earbuds, the ZE3000 SV, which come at an impressively reasonable price of $100. These earbuds represent the second generation of the $149 ZE3000 model, which are among the best-sounding earbuds under $200 that I’ve ever encountered. Despite the lower price point, the ZE3000 SV appears to offer numerous enhancements. They will be available on Amazon and the Final Audio website very soon.

While the original ZE3000 made a mark with its sound quality, it lacked some features that are now considered standard in wireless earbuds, like noise cancellation and Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity. They supported high-resolution audio, but only through Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive codec, which isn’t compatible with many popular smartphones.

The ZE3000 SV addresses these previous limitations. According to Final, the new “Comfort ANC” feature has been engineered to strike a balance between sound quality and effective sound isolation. It also supports Multipoint connectivity, allowing for simultaneous connections to two devices. Instead of the aptX Adaptive codec, the new model utilizes Sony’s high-resolution LDAC codec, which is widely supported on Android smartphones, although iPhone users won’t have access to it.

While these improvements are welcome, they should not compromise audio quality. Final claims they’ve managed to preserve the exceptional performance of the ZE3000 by using new, larger 10mm “f-Core SV drivers” along with f-LINK Port technology. This setup optimizes the acoustic space pressure while ensuring a secure waterproof design, allowing better control over low frequencies, which is often a challenge for true wireless products. The resulting sound produces vibrant vocals and deep bass lines without sacrificing overall balance.

The battery life remains unchanged at a projected 7 hours of playback time, extending to 28 hours with the charging case. However, it’s unclear how the inclusion of ANC and the LDAC codec will impact these figures. The ZE3000 SV also boasts an IPX4 water resistance rating and can be customized using the Final Connect app.

In addition, they feature a gaming mode that can be activated through the Final Connect app, promising a low latency connection of up to 60ms—a figure that’s impressive compared to typical Bluetooth connections. However, it’s worth noting that some earbuds on the market claim even lower latency modes of around 45ms.

Overall, I’m eager to test out the ZE3000 SV. If they deliver sound quality comparable to the original ZE3000, they will undoubtedly be a fantastic deal.