FINAL AUDIO DESIGN E2000: Reference tuning is now democratize

FINAL AUDIO E2000 (extra long) REVIEW :

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

FASCINATION process :

At first, my ear wasn’t prepare at they’re best for the type of balanced tuning approach from Final Audio engineer, wich in some sens, is about having an equal respect for all frequencies range hidden in music. Tough the E2000 model is the more easily accessible one, I already see some people thinking it lack bass when in fact it dig deeper than must of the competitors in this pricerange.
Ironically, sometime we think Hi-fi sound is a promise that more expensive audio gear will solve for us audio mastering, but this isn’t the case because must of time soundsignature reflect Highs, Mids or Lows Infidelity. By this I mean, it color the sound to make more spectacular certain audio range effect that is very dependant to music style you listen too, electronic, rap or pop music will enjoy V shape but will still be problematic for massive audio enthusiast that like round bass punch in a mid centric rendering that will make shine their favorite signer voice.
For classical lover, it all depend again as all frequencies range is important, but lover of symphonies will not need same frequencies response than harpsichord lover where highs brillance and decay will give a more exciting lively presentation.
All this too say, Final Audio do one compromise in there sound approach wich is to tame upper highs so microdetails will not sound too fowards and distracting, wich in some sens is a diamond polishing giving in the end more details in all range above 12khz. As well, they approach a linear and near neutral frequencies curve, to solve bad soundwave mixing problem and give a more natural and better stereo layering presentation, all this with an elegant smoothness to the overall sound.

Having mustly try ‘’chi-fi’’ iem in the last years, more than 50 different pairs including lot of multi-drivers universal custom, I begin getting annoyed by the standard house sound much of them use, wich is some kind of mutant harman curve with extra push in sub bass, upper mids and highs. Well, must of them are either V or U shape and when mids was more present, it feel forced and artificial. As well, in the budget multi-BA’S universe, phase and delay issue occur very often. Biggest problem for me was still the treble peaks, ranginf from 2khz to 15khz. As anybody, i’m extremly sensitve to vocal range (mids) as our human ears are program to hear it better, so when I read this Final Audio design statement about their E serie iem, I was extremely interest to give it a try. I copy-paste it here so you can give a read too :

”The E series was developed with the concept of achieving all of the following: high sound quality, simple design, ease of use and affordable price. With this, we aimed for a product series where the products chosen would undoubtedly be referred to as standards for years to come.

It is because we’d like these to be used as devices for the mature listener, the kind they won’t want to part with the more they use them, and because they are products we’d like those recognizing the pleasure of earphones for the first time to also use that we’ve integrated the results of the latest in acoustic engineering and psychological research into our acoustic design.

When using the general method of sound creation where certain high notes are emphasized, you’re given to feel vivid sound when you first listen, but because of this, other ranges are masked and hard to hear. With the E series, making the arc of the frequency response smooth overall ensured that no bands were masked, and we achieved high resolution and clear sound quality. With these products, we’ve aimed at natural sound quality for a “standard” whose value you feel the more you use them over time rather than just in their appeal when you first listen to them.

<Features of the E series>

– Sound creation based on acoustic engineering and psychology
– Unique swing-fitting earpiece mechanism; sound is transmitted directly to the eardrum to achieve clear sound
– The 6.4mm diameter dynamic driver unit boasts an extraordinarily high level of precision for this price range
– Fitting of a device for the mature listener, this is a design that has a simple shape and a high-quality texture matched with what could be termed classic sound quality
– Comes with ear hooks to alleviate cable touch noise
– Employs an original cable that bends flexibly when using ear hooks”

So, for once it will be a smooth but real high fidelity sounding iem? Is it possible to achieve such a pleasant musicality for long time listen as well as having a real reference all arounder iem and that, at an extremely affordable price? It can’t be manufacture in Japan, can it? All the answer are big YES.
Nymphonomaniac just can’t stop listen to the E2000….and perhaps even subectively prefer them to the E3000 or E4000! He can’t tell for the moment, perhaps he just get use too the one he listen the more right now because of its reviewing. One thing sure, none of them make him wanna change for a more analytical, mid centric or bassy iem when a certain music style appear in its very long playlist that include baroque classical, modern jazz, jazz signer, blues signers, complex electronic, simple hip hop, indie rock, power rock, folk, solo violin or harpsichord etc. Yes, it can exist and no it do not try to make it over coloured to entertain you in High Infidelity universe. For once, I really feel like an audiophile listening to an IEM and man, it prove it have nothing to do with price!

SPECIFICATIONS :

Product code :FI-E2DAL(MATT BLACK) / FI-E2DALS(MATT SILVER)

Housing : Aluminum black alumite finish(MATT BLACK) / Aluminum silver alumite finish(MATT SILVER)

Driver : 6.4mmΦ dynamic driver

Cable : OFC cable

Sensitivity : 102 dB/mW

Impedance :16Ω

Weight : 12g

Cord length : 1.2m

CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & ACCESSORIES :

Final Audio unboxing experience make me travel in japan, this is meticulous and humble packaging. As an origami lover, I appreciate the little details of enveloping the iem housing in transparent plastic paper. Thats japanese elegance to me, wich is even take to next level with the E4000. The eartips that are included are silicone of high quality, we can tell by the thick silicone tube it have. Its the E model. As well, it include a pair of cable ear hook of good quality and a basic traveling pouch.

Construction is nice and minimalist, I can’t say about durability for now but the housing look enough sturdy due to its very small size. Housing is thick black alumite (alluminium) with a plastic nozzle and have a open back design with a metal grill fitting it without any weakness to it. If there only one details that perhaps would worry me its how the cable is attached to housing, or more exactly, isn’t attached to it with a strain relieve rubber extension, so I will not pull the cable to test if any reinforcment is hide inside housing. Its not a big deal as the iem is really light and small and if you pull cable it will fall from your ears.

Design is sobre and minimalist but mustly well thinked. In fact, if you search bed buddies iem, the E2000 are perfect. They are minuscule, wich even puzzle my mind about being able to hide a tiny 6.2mm driver in it. To have an idea about how tiny they are, the E2000 is less long that my well cuted thum finger nail…a quarter look gigantic compared to these lilliputian earphones. The fact they are so small can be perhaps confusing for big handed giant, but he will get use to it fast. The only drawback about design is perhaps due to the rather basic cable in fact, wich can sometime cause microphonic sound, but again, the ear hook is there to solve this issue…wich I do not use and just wear it over ears my way. About this, there lot of iem that cause more microphonic, I just need to tell every observation with my big mouth.

So, all in all, the very tiny minuscule midget lilliputian design make the E2000 extremely comfortable and will fit any ears even the one of a shrewmouse (I guess).

SOUND IMPRESSIONS :

OVERALL sound tend towards near perfect neutrality, with balanced low and mids and lightly smoothed highs, especialy above 12khz. This do not mean it lack details at all, its a natural sounding iem with good punch as well as an attack that have fine grip but do not bite. I feel treble is emphased a little on mid bass without any decay on the mids. It have more punch than rumble, but extension is really nice and transparent. Vocal aren’t recessed at all, they feel on same stage of all instrument, neither in the back or 5 feet appart from the band. This give an overall intimate and contemplative presentation that we wanna stay in for long listen. E2000 have a natural, transparent, wide sounding balanced sound that will be supreme joy for critical listener and sincere music lover.

SOUNDSTAGE is wider than deeper, but excellently layered due to excellent transparency and resolution.

AMPING is not mandatory, but I feel it help giving the right sound pressure for me, wich listen to quite high volume even if E2000 tech me to enjoy lower intensity. So, to get the best, you need more than what I phone cna give you as well as very small DAP like Benjie S5. But Xduoo X2, D3 and above, well, any serious DAP will have enough power to amp them perfectly.

SUB BASS is flat, textured and well define, it is easy to ear the lower bass line under kick or other low frequencies instruments like synth, and that, without any alteration of its relax definition. It’s not a rumbly type of sub that move lof of air, more the type we will find in studio monitor. This type of presentation show its talent in complex beat or rock as well as when there bass solo or emphasis in a track. Perhaps some will like extra texture, but it isn’t need for the spot on resolution we get. I find this extremely impressive for all type of music that isn’t thinked to be heard with extra humph or boom, yes, rap will be listenable, and you will enjoy extra clarity of overall frequencies range as well as the rapper sound suddenly less agressive, but I think basshead do search more coloured low, as we can sometime hear a miles away from there boomy cars.

MID BASS is really delicious and well rendered, it have good resolution and attack without being fatiguing or too fowards-bright, its bodied and tigh and well layered for sub as well as lower mids wich is impressive for an intimate sounding iem as one would think it will mix up or sound congested, in fact, when listening to post rock like ‘’Grails’’ that have lot of feedback guitar and ambient sound, it never feel over saturated because of an incredible transparency. Fast complex power rock that lot of multi-Ba iem struggle to render without congesting still sound flat and well define. The punch was never drown whatever its presence in track. Slightly thick but transparent mid bass, more weighty than sub, but never interfering with any other audio range make this bass presentation agile and versatile but even more impressive for jazz, rock or well mastered pop that isn’t meant to be boomy (cause yeah, some will sound better the boomy way).

MIDS are my favorite part of the E2000 even if they aren’t intensely tweaked for extra presence, they feel full bodied, wide and transparent, very well placed in soundstage. For example, a jazz track from Jacob Bro where I hear one wide saxophone with must of my iem finally became….two well separated saxophone playing toghether different melody line. For a moment I think the E2000 was defect! I feel dumb, but wasn’t my actual other badly tuned iem that was dumb? So the instrument separation is phenomenal with E2000, whatever the price range, and in 2khz-8khz where must colouration happen to affect dynamic and presence pitch, its where it show its true agility.

One of my favorite signer, Arianna Savall, have less agressive extension on higher pitch and so move less air in the final, but even if decay can sometime give extra goosebumps if well pushed, this was driving me to suddenly lower volume when she go full soprano, as well, it feel less transparent and hide lute, harp or other isntrument her or other musician was playing,

I feel that E2000 rendering is faithfull to original mastering as well as the sweet mellow voice of Arianna that should never be violent, why an angel will beat your eardrum off anyway? Violin too is very detailed but never harsh, you will heard the bow hitting and even the texture of the cords rubbing, a natural thickness give extra presence when it’s meant to be, like in solo or duo.

HIGHS are fully informative until about 14khz drop and you will surely finds details in your music you never heard off, little subtle one that finally can be find if you want too. As said, you can crave infinitely in Final Audio well resolve sound, but nothingis trowninyour face. Every instrument wahatever the audio range a great transparent body and natural texture. The percussions are particularly well represented, with thigh and fast attack, and great realistic placement, piano range sound the best in 2-8khz range and became less agressive in upper high note, wich are rare, butwill benifit extra decay and brilliance from perhaps brighter soundsignature. Anyway, this is if you want to heard the piano as if you have your head into its body, wich yes, sometime I like! But when piano have to mix with other instrument including human voice of a soprano, it can cause messy decays mixing in upper range, nto with the E2000 sound maestro tough. Anyway, I think there some extra treble texture tweak in upper range that permit microdetails to smoothly appear and this is another ‘’tour de force’’ from Final audio engineer. We have a musicaly enjoyable treble presentation that follow a natural hearing curve without ever sound artificial or forced, if you search for cold ultra analytical sounding earphones, the E2000 aren’t for you, but if you want great smooth but lively and sometime even revealing musicality, this is the reference budgt iem gem to think about.

IN FEWS WORDS :

-BASS is well define, neither exaggerated, artificial or boomy and have a lively realist punch with good control.

-MIDS have extra presence without harshness, are well centered, intimate and transparent.

-HIGH are extra smooth, well layered and easily hearable until 12khz peak.

COMPARAISONS :

VS ALPHA & DELTA D6 (100$) :

The D6 earphone are a favorite of mine, and before hearingthe Final Audio E serie I was considering themquite neutral, well, now, I would say they are more mid centric but still very well balanced and excellent sounding.

Compared to E2000 they feel sure brighter, and the bass is less bodied as well as having less sub extension. Its less punchy and lively with the exception of fowarded mid range, wich feel more wide and immersive but as well more prompt to sibilance in upper mids. The E2000 is more balanced and vocal are just lightly abot rest of spectrum with great transparency but intimate presentation, D6 is more spectacular and textured, wider and airier sounding but less transparent wich interfer with overall resolution. This L soundsignature of D6 vs a rounded up W one with highs treble roll off give an overall wider soundstage, near hall like, but overaly satureted by treble sometime. It make the E2000 more versatile and mature fatigue free sound, while D6 more exciting for some very specific music tracks where you want extra mids and highs presence.

Construction of D6 is from another level, the 8 cores SPC plated cable is incredible and the housing look invicible. I’m not afraid of durability with the D6, not sure for the 40$ E2000 that well, look like a 40$ earphones….but is far from sounding like one. Both create some slight cable microphonic, and about comfort, E2000 win due to light and extremely small housing wich permit you to sleep with them and make beautifull baroque dreams.

VS TIN AUDIO T2 (50$):

Another favorite of mine and one of the chifi best achievment in term of tuning and construction under 100$, the T2 earn a justifyadmiration from lot of budget audiophile.

Compared to the E2000, they have a more airy sound with slightly brigher tone in mids and highs, but again, feel less linear and well balanced with sometime shooty upper mids or out of phase

The WOW effect is more immediate with T2, wich give very wide and airy soundstage, but after the brain adjustment, some unpleasant about tuning appear and can make you lay with volume control while with the E2000 its the opposite, more and more you listen to them and more and more you are fascinated by what you hear. T2 have more sub bass that isn’t well separated from the mid bass lacking resolution and punch, wich make overall presentation slower than E2000 and can even decay until lower mids region. The vocal are more fowards and full bodied, they have great presence that really is a joy to listen too with smooth signing as well as male vocal, but as I listen mustly to female signer upper mids can be problematic, as well, whole presentation in they end is less realist and linear than E2000 with the more intimate well resolve and transparent mids. We can dig more details in 6khz-10khz region wich give better natural layering to the E2000, while the T2 spot light in a energic whay some micro details, again, percussion will sound more natural and less splashy with more balanced E2000 tuning but less airy too. All in all, for treble sensitive E2000 is sure the way too go, as well as for a more refined musicality, but if you search mid centric wow effect and very wide airy sound and only listen limited music style, T2 isn’t a bad bet at all.

Construction of Tin Audio T2 is incredible and I would say that even if they were sell for 100$, it have detachable SPC cable too, but mine go green after 2 weeks (suppose to be solve with new batch). Anyway, comfort was a big issue for me, so I finaly just wear them over hear. So, better construction and accesories, but less comfortable that E2000.

VS ZS10 (55$):

Compared to E2000, ZS10 sound like a giant Pollock painting while E2000 sound like a Rembrandt.

Even if the sound canvas is bigger, thanks to its Dynamic driver and 4 ba’s, it strangely sound more mudded because of double sub bass bleed into mid bass and mid bass punch decay into lower mids, This can pass with modern jazz trio, but still, it will feel unbalanced and bassy and shouty, wich make me either lower or increase the volume depending of music I play….sigh. Yeah, i’m distract by lot of clumsy colouring with the ZS10, bass lack the transparency of E2000 as well as its tighness, and well, as said, the natural balance. For mids, its very fowards and upper mids create sibilance. Treble is perhaps more sparkly, but again, its a drawback as when I put solo harpsichord it decay and attack sound out of phase and feel like there more than one instrument in there. With the E2000, one would think it sound warmer , well, only compared to brightish artificial treble of ZS10, because I can find more details and natural texture in violin, while the harpsichord have fuller pitch and sound actually like a single instrument in the middle of a room. So, yeah, ZS10 is for people that wanna go check last transformer movie with there ears while E2000 are for the one that want to listen a lively natural music concert well mastered or in acoustic room.

About comfort, let’s pass and just look the picture and well, understand we are in complete opposite world from sound to construction design (okay, I must admit I laugh alot doing this comparaison, but it was needed).

VS (twin brother?) FINAL AUDIO DESIGN E3000 :

These two little brothers have the same size, but one look more luxurious due to is polish stainless steel finish that caught they eyes. As well, little brother E2000 have a slightly higher sound pressure being 102db vs 100db of E3000.

E serie is all about sublte soundsignature change or improvment. Here, using different housing construction, we already have surely some sound change but that’s not all

E3000 is even smoother in attack than E2000, with a hint more low end extension, wich give a fuller warmer soundsignature. Soundstage feel a little less airy than its brother and mids have more thickness to it wich give them more weight. Treble is even more smooth and could well became the best 50$ iem for treble sensitive audiophile, as it give buttery vocal that never hiss or shout. There a little extra texture in 3khz region to help separation from mid bass and lower mids as well as give extra clarity to snare, that with the well rendered natural percussion add extra energy to a very smooth musicality. The E2000 sound more W shape with a more lively presentation but both sound very similar in they end.

CONCLUSION :

In term of sound, the E2000 are an incredible tuning achievment that will please as much serious audiophile as music lover searching for a versatile natural sounding earphones. To me, in term of reference musicality, they are among the best serious iem under 100$ I ever try. This is how real audiophile iem should sound for long listening session, and the fact they are so small make them a 24h on 24 joy. Pair them with a great audio source and they will be a smooth but revealing wonder.

FASCINATION process :

At first, my ear wasn’t prepare at they’re best for the type of balanced tuning approach from Final Audio engineer, wich in some sens, is about having an equal respect for all frequencies range hidden in music. Tough the E2000 model is the more easily accessible one, I already see some people thinking it lack bass when in fact it dig deeper than must of the competitors in this pricerange.
Ironically, sometime we think Hi-fi sound is a promise that more expensive audio gear will solve for us audio mastering, but this isn’t the case because must of time soundsignature reflect Highs, Mids or Lows Infidelity. By this I mean, it color the sound to make more spectacular certain audio range effect that is very dependant to music style you listen too, electronic, rap or pop music will enjoy V shape but will still be problematic for massive audio enthusiast that like round bass punch in a mid centric rendering that will make shine their favorite signer voice.
For classical lover, it all depend again as all frequencies range is important, but lover of symphonies will not need same frequencies response than harpsichord lover where highs brillance and decay will give a more exciting lively presentation.
All this too say, Final Audio do one compromise in there sound approach wich is to tame upper highs so microdetails will not sound too fowards and distracting, wich in some sens is a diamond polishing giving in the end more details in all range above 12khz. As well, they approach a linear and near neutral frequencies curve, to solve bad soundwave mixing problem and give a more natural and better stereo layering presentation, all this with an elegant smoothness to the overall sound.

Having mustly try ‘’chi-fi’’ iem in the last years, more than 50 different pairs including lot of multi-drivers universal custom, I begin getting annoyed by the standard house sound much of them use, wich is some kind of mutant harman curve with extra push in sub bass, upper mids and highs. Well, must of them are either V or U shape and when mids was more present, it feel forced and artificial. As well, in the budget multi-BA’S universe, phase and delay issue occur very often. Biggest problem for me was still the treble peaks, ranginf from 2khz to 15khz. As anybody, i’m extremly sensitve to vocal range (mids) as our human ears are program to hear it better, so when I read this Final Audio design statement about their E serie iem, I was extremely interest to give it a try. I copy-paste it here so you can give a read too :

”The E series was developed with the concept of achieving all of the following: high sound quality, simple design, ease of use and affordable price. With this, we aimed for a product series where the products chosen would undoubtedly be referred to as standards for years to come.

It is because we’d like these to be used as devices for the mature listener, the kind they won’t want to part with the more they use them, and because they are products we’d like those recognizing the pleasure of earphones for the first time to also use that we’ve integrated the results of the latest in acoustic engineering and psychological research into our acoustic design.

When using the general method of sound creation where certain high notes are emphasized, you’re given to feel vivid sound when you first listen, but because of this, other ranges are masked and hard to hear. With the E series, making the arc of the frequency response smooth overall ensured that no bands were masked, and we achieved high resolution and clear sound quality. With these products, we’ve aimed at natural sound quality for a “standard” whose value you feel the more you use them over time rather than just in their appeal when you first listen to them.

<Features of the E series>

– Sound creation based on acoustic engineering and psychology
– Unique swing-fitting earpiece mechanism; sound is transmitted directly to the eardrum to achieve clear sound
– The 6.4mm diameter dynamic driver unit boasts an extraordinarily high level of precision for this price range
– Fitting of a device for the mature listener, this is a design that has a simple shape and a high-quality texture matched with what could be termed classic sound quality
– Comes with ear hooks to alleviate cable touch noise
– Employs an original cable that bends flexibly when using ear hooks”

So, for once it will be a smooth but real high fidelity sounding iem? Is it possible to achieve such a pleasant musicality for long time listen as well as having a real reference all arounder iem and that, at an extremely affordable price? It can’t be manufacture in Japan, can it? All the answer are big YES.
Nymphonomaniac just can’t stop listen to the E2000….and perhaps even subectively prefer them to the E3000 or E4000! He can’t tell for the moment, perhaps he just get use too the one he listen the more right now because of its reviewing. One thing sure, none of them make him wanna change for a more analytical, mid centric or bassy iem when a certain music style appear in its very long playlist that include baroque classical, modern jazz, jazz signer, blues signers, complex electronic, simple hip hop, indie rock, power rock, folk, solo violin or harpsichord etc. Yes, it can exist and no it do not try to make it over coloured to entertain you in High Infidelity universe. For once, I really feel like an audiophile listening to an IEM and man, it prove it have nothing to do with price!

SPECIFICATIONS :

Product code :FI-E2DAL(MATT BLACK) / FI-E2DALS(MATT SILVER)

Housing : Aluminum black alumite finish(MATT BLACK) / Aluminum silver alumite finish(MATT SILVER)

Driver : 6.4mmΦ dynamic driver

Cable : OFC cable

Sensitivity : 102 dB/mW

Impedance :16Ω

Weight : 12g

Cord length : 1.2m

CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & ACCESSORIES :

Final Audio unboxing experience make me travel in japan, this is meticulous and humble packaging. As an origami lover, I appreciate the little details of enveloping the iem housing in transparent plastic paper. Thats japanese elegance to me, wich is even take to next level with the E4000. The eartips that are included are silicone of high quality, we can tell by the thick silicone tube it have. Its the E model. As well, it include a pair of cable ear hook of good quality and a basic traveling pouch.

Construction is nice and minimalist, I can’t say about durability for now but the housing look enough sturdy due to its very small size. Housing is thick black alumite (alluminium) with a plastic nozzle and have a open back design with a metal grill fitting it without any weakness to it. If there only one details that perhaps would worry me its how the cable is attached to housing, or more exactly, isn’t attached to it with a strain relieve rubber extension, so I will not pull the cable to test if any reinforcment is hide inside housing. Its not a big deal as the iem is really light and small and if you pull cable it will fall from your ears.

Design is sobre and minimalist but mustly well thinked. In fact, if you search bed buddies iem, the E2000 are perfect. They are minuscule, wich even puzzle my mind about being able to hide a tiny 6.2mm driver in it. To have an idea about how tiny they are, the E2000 is less long that my well cuted thum finger nail…a quarter look gigantic compared to these lilliputian earphones. The fact they are so small can be perhaps confusing for big handed giant, but he will get use to it fast. The only drawback about design is perhaps due to the rather basic cable in fact, wich can sometime cause microphonic sound, but again, the ear hook is there to solve this issue…wich I do not use and just wear it over ears my way. About this, there lot of iem that cause more microphonic, I just need to tell every observation with my big mouth.

So, all in all, the very tiny minuscule midget lilliputian design make the E2000 extremely comfortable and will fit any ears even the one of a shrewmouse (I guess).

SOUND IMPRESSIONS :

OVERALL sound tend towards near perfect neutrality, with balanced low and mids and lightly smoothed highs, especialy above 12khz. This do not mean it lack details at all, its a natural sounding iem with good punch as well as an attack that have fine grip but do not bite. I feel treble is emphased a little on mid bass without any decay on the mids. It have more punch than rumble, but extension is really nice and transparent. Vocal aren’t recessed at all, they feel on same stage of all instrument, neither in the back or 5 feet appart from the band. This give an overall intimate and contemplative presentation that we wanna stay in for long listen. E2000 have a natural, transparent, wide sounding balanced sound that will be supreme joy for critical listener and sincere music lover.

SOUNDSTAGE is wider than deeper, but excellently layered due to excellent transparency and resolution.

AMPING is not mandatory, but I feel it help giving the right sound pressure for me, wich listen to quite high volume even if E2000 tech me to enjoy lower intensity. So, to get the best, you need more than what I phone cna give you as well as very small DAP like Benjie S5. But Xduoo X2, D3 and above, well, any serious DAP will have enough power to amp them perfectly.

SUB BASS is flat, textured and well define, it is easy to ear the lower bass line under kick or other low frequencies instruments like synth, and that, without any alteration of its relax definition. It’s not a rumbly type of sub that move lof of air, more the type we will find in studio monitor. This type of presentation show its talent in complex beat or rock as well as when there bass solo or emphasis in a track. Perhaps some will like extra texture, but it isn’t need for the spot on resolution we get. I find this extremely impressive for all type of music that isn’t thinked to be heard with extra humph or boom, yes, rap will be listenable, and you will enjoy extra clarity of overall frequencies range as well as the rapper sound suddenly less agressive, but I think basshead do search more coloured low, as we can sometime hear a miles away from there boomy cars.

MID BASS is really delicious and well rendered, it have good resolution and attack without being fatiguing or too fowards-bright, its bodied and tigh and well layered for sub as well as lower mids wich is impressive for an intimate sounding iem as one would think it will mix up or sound congested, in fact, when listening to post rock like ‘’Grails’’ that have lot of feedback guitar and ambient sound, it never feel over saturated because of an incredible transparency. Fast complex power rock that lot of multi-Ba iem struggle to render without congesting still sound flat and well define. The punch was never drown whatever its presence in track. Slightly thick but transparent mid bass, more weighty than sub, but never interfering with any other audio range make this bass presentation agile and versatile but even more impressive for jazz, rock or well mastered pop that isn’t meant to be boomy (cause yeah, some will sound better the boomy way).

MIDS are my favorite part of the E2000 even if they aren’t intensely tweaked for extra presence, they feel full bodied, wide and transparent, very well placed in soundstage. For example, a jazz track from Jacob Bro where I hear one wide saxophone with must of my iem finally became….two well separated saxophone playing toghether different melody line. For a moment I think the E2000 was defect! I feel dumb, but wasn’t my actual other badly tuned iem that was dumb? So the instrument separation is phenomenal with E2000, whatever the price range, and in 2khz-8khz where must colouration happen to affect dynamic and presence pitch, its where it show its true agility.

One of my favorite signer, Arianna Savall, have less agressive extension on higher pitch and so move less air in the final, but even if decay can sometime give extra goosebumps if well pushed, this was driving me to suddenly lower volume when she go full soprano, as well, it feel less transparent and hide lute, harp or other isntrument her or other musician was playing,

I feel that E2000 rendering is faithfull to original mastering as well as the sweet mellow voice of Arianna that should never be violent, why an angel will beat your eardrum off anyway? Violin too is very detailed but never harsh, you will heard the bow hitting and even the texture of the cords rubbing, a natural thickness give extra presence when it’s meant to be, like in solo or duo.

HIGHS are fully informative until about 14khz drop and you will surely finds details in your music you never heard off, little subtle one that finally can be find if you want too. As said, you can crave infinitely in Final Audio well resolve sound, but nothingis trowninyour face. Every instrument wahatever the audio range a great transparent body and natural texture. The percussions are particularly well represented, with thigh and fast attack, and great realistic placement, piano range sound the best in 2-8khz range and became less agressive in upper high note, wich are rare, butwill benifit extra decay and brilliance from perhaps brighter soundsignature. Anyway, this is if you want to heard the piano as if you have your head into its body, wich yes, sometime I like! But when piano have to mix with other instrument including human voice of a soprano, it can cause messy decays mixing in upper range, nto with the E2000 sound maestro tough. Anyway, I think there some extra treble texture tweak in upper range that permit microdetails to smoothly appear and this is another ‘’tour de force’’ from Final audio engineer. We have a musicaly enjoyable treble presentation that follow a natural hearing curve without ever sound artificial or forced, if you search for cold ultra analytical sounding earphones, the E2000 aren’t for you, but if you want great smooth but lively and sometime even revealing musicality, this is the reference budgt iem gem to think about.

IN FEWS WORDS :

-BASS is well define, neither exaggerated, artificial or boomy and have a lively realist punch with good control.

-MIDS have extra presence without harshness, are well centered, intimate and transparent.

-HIGH are extra smooth, well layered and easily hearable until 12khz peak.

COMPARAISONS :

VS ALPHA & DELTA D6 (100$) :

The D6 earphone are a favorite of mine, and before hearingthe Final Audio E serie I was considering themquite neutral, well, now, I would say they are more mid centric but still very well balanced and excellent sounding.

Compared to E2000 they feel sure brighter, and the bass is less bodied as well as having less sub extension. Its less punchy and lively with the exception of fowarded mid range, wich feel more wide and immersive but as well more prompt to sibilance in upper mids. The E2000 is more balanced and vocal are just lightly abot rest of spectrum with great transparency but intimate presentation, D6 is more spectacular and textured, wider and airier sounding but less transparent wich interfer with overall resolution. This L soundsignature of D6 vs a rounded up W one with highs treble roll off give an overall wider soundstage, near hall like, but overaly satureted by treble sometime. It make the E2000 more versatile and mature fatigue free sound, while D6 more exciting for some very specific music tracks where you want extra mids and highs presence.

Construction of D6 is from another level, the 8 cores SPC plated cable is incredible and the housing look invicible. I’m not afraid of durability with the D6, not sure for the 40$ E2000 that well, look like a 40$ earphones….but is far from sounding like one. Both create some slight cable microphonic, and about comfort, E2000 win due to light and extremely small housing wich permit you to sleep with them and make beautifull baroque dreams.

VS TIN AUDIO T2 (50$):

Another favorite of mine and one of the chifi best achievment in term of tuning and construction under 100$, the T2 earn a justifyadmiration from lot of budget audiophile.

Compared to the E2000, they have a more airy sound with slightly brigher tone in mids and highs, but again, feel less linear and well balanced with sometime shooty upper mids or out of phase

The WOW effect is more immediate with T2, wich give very wide and airy soundstage, but after the brain adjustment, some unpleasant about tuning appear and can make you lay with volume control while with the E2000 its the opposite, more and more you listen to them and more and more you are fascinated by what you hear. T2 have more sub bass that isn’t well separated from the mid bass lacking resolution and punch, wich make overall presentation slower than E2000 and can even decay until lower mids region. The vocal are more fowards and full bodied, they have great presence that really is a joy to listen too with smooth signing as well as male vocal, but as I listen mustly to female signer upper mids can be problematic, as well, whole presentation in they end is less realist and linear than E2000 with the more intimate well resolve and transparent mids. We can dig more details in 6khz-10khz region wich give better natural layering to the E2000, while the T2 spot light in a energic whay some micro details, again, percussion will sound more natural and less splashy with more balanced E2000 tuning but less airy too. All in all, for treble sensitive E2000 is sure the way too go, as well as for a more refined musicality, but if you search mid centric wow effect and very wide airy sound and only listen limited music style, T2 isn’t a bad bet at all.

Construction of Tin Audio T2 is incredible and I would say that even if they were sell for 100$, it have detachable SPC cable too, but mine go green after 2 weeks (suppose to be solve with new batch). Anyway, comfort was a big issue for me, so I finaly just wear them over hear. So, better construction and accesories, but less comfortable that E2000.

VS ZS10 (55$):

Compared to E2000, ZS10 sound like a giant Pollock painting while E2000 sound like a Rembrandt.

Even if the sound canvas is bigger, thanks to its Dynamic driver and 4 ba’s, it strangely sound more mudded because of double sub bass bleed into mid bass and mid bass punch decay into lower mids, This can pass with modern jazz trio, but still, it will feel unbalanced and bassy and shouty, wich make me either lower or increase the volume depending of music I play….sigh. Yeah, i’m distract by lot of clumsy colouring with the ZS10, bass lack the transparency of E2000 as well as its tighness, and well, as said, the natural balance. For mids, its very fowards and upper mids create sibilance. Treble is perhaps more sparkly, but again, its a drawback as when I put solo harpsichord it decay and attack sound out of phase and feel like there more than one instrument in there. With the E2000, one would think it sound warmer , well, only compared to brightish artificial treble of ZS10, because I can find more details and natural texture in violin, while the harpsichord have fuller pitch and sound actually like a single instrument in the middle of a room. So, yeah, ZS10 is for people that wanna go check last transformer movie with there ears while E2000 are for the one that want to listen a lively natural music concert well mastered or in acoustic room.

About comfort, let’s pass and just look the picture and well, understand we are in complete opposite world from sound to construction design (okay, I must admit I laugh alot doing this comparaison, but it was needed).

VS (twin brother?) FINAL AUDIO DESIGN E3000 :

These two little brothers have the same size, but one look more luxurious due to is polish stainless steel finish that caught they eyes. As well, little brother E2000 have a slightly higher sound pressure being 102db vs 100db of E3000.

E serie is all about sublte soundsignature change or improvment. Here, using different housing construction, we already have surely some sound change but that’s not all

E3000 is even smoother in attack than E2000, with a hint more low end extension, wich give a fuller warmer soundsignature. Soundstage feel a little less airy than its brother and mids have more thickness to it wich give them more weight. Treble is even more smooth and could well became the best 50$ iem for treble sensitive audiophile, as it give buttery vocal that never hiss or shout. There a little extra texture in 3khz region to help separation from mid bass and lower mids as well as give extra clarity to snare, that with the well rendered natural percussion add extra energy to a very smooth musicality. The E2000 sound more W shape with a more lively presentation but both sound very similar in they end.

CONCLUSION :

In term of sound, the E2000 are an incredible tuning achievment that will please as much serious audiophile as music lover searching for a versatile natural sounding earphones. To me, in term of reference musicality, they are among the best serious iem under 100$ I ever try. This is how real audiophile iem should sound for long listening session, and the fact they are so small make them a 24h on 24 joy. Pair them with a great audio source and they will be a smooth but revealing wonder.