Final Audio F7200 Review

Late last year, the Final F7200 began to pop up in audio circles without too much fanfare.  While a sense of hype has yet to build, these understated earphones offer an impressive sound at a fair price of $479.  But just what kind of sound can you expect?

Final Audio F7200 Review

The Final Audio F7200 arrives in a cardboard box with a wealth of accessories.  Eight sets of eartips (silicon and Comply), a carrying case, safe fit rings, ear hooks, and cotton swabs come included with these earphones.  A warranty card and a user manual also accompany the product.

Sporting a braided 4 ft (1.2 m) cable with a right-angle 3.5mm plug, the design strikes me as one of quality.  While the earpieces at first seem alarmingly slight, they feel solid and wear like a dream.  The stainless steel housings contain a balanced armature driver, and the canal-type design eliminates distractions while supplying a remarkable listening experience.

Specs

Frequency Range:  NA
Impedance:  42 ohms
Sound Pressure Level (SPL):  NA
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD):  NA

Final doesn’t include a ton of details regarding the specs of the Final F7200.  The frequency range doesn’t seem to extend too high or too low, and I’m guessing it’s somewhere around 20-30000 Hz.  With a low impedance of 42 ohms, though, these headphones pair well with any portable device.  Sound Pressure Level is low – somewhere around the 85 dB mark, I think (if this number seems low, remember that these headphones are meant to be worn in the ear canal).  Finally, distortion is low – somewhere near <1%.

Low End

Right of the bat, I can discern a more subdued low end than I am used to hearing.  Despite this, the F7200 doesn’t skimp on detail, but bass is less boomy or overpowered.  The resultant sound is even and rich, but perhaps a bit less lively than one would expect.  Excellent control minimizes bleed, ensuring the sound remains clean.

Mids

In the midrange, you can instantly hear where this headphone excels.  Accurate with great contrast, this part of the frequency range seems almost other-worldly in terms of clarity.  Perhaps the cleanest, most defined midrange I’ve heard to date, there’s nary a whisper of compression or distortion, and I’m left with an almost tangible sense of layering in the mids.  Everything pops out, clean and articulate.  Hot damn.

High End

Bright if a tad bit thin, the high end of the F7200 offers a decent amount of definition, but may miss some nuances.  On the other hand, the sound never becomes too piercing or uncomfortable, but remains relatively relaxed with smooth strings and velvety vocals.

Soundstage

Despite the impressive midrange, I wasn’t expecting the soundstage on the F7200 to be that great.  Well, I was wrong.  With equally good depth and placement, the sound is surprisingly immersive…for an earphone.  While it will never stack up to a pair of open-back headphones in terms of realism, this scrappy little earphone has the best soundstage at any price below $1000.

Other Observations

This midrange is so incredibly precise.   I keep hunting down vocal-heavy tracks so that the singers’ voices can jump out at me.

The lack of oomph in the bass is actually kind of nice.  You’ll still hear bass if it’s in the track, but it won’t be so overt as to drown out all of that delicious detail.

Recommendations

If you’re a fiend for lots of booming bass notes, skip the F7200 for something from Sennheiser or maybe Shure.  Equally-priced offerings from these two manufacturers are sure to offer more bass.

On the other hand, if you thirst for a brighter, more detailed high end, seek out a pair of Klipsch or Westone Pro earphones.

But if you’re looking for a truly mesmerizing midrange (or an immersive soundstage), this is the headphone for you.  Hip hop heads who need more clarity in vocals would do well to consider the F7200.  This headphone’s sound wouldn’t be remiss with acoustic rock or alt rock fans, either.

Final Analysis

The Final Audio F7200 is a lightweight but strong earphone with excellent mids and impressive soundstage.  While it may lack the dark lows or the bright highs of other premium earphones, this earphone is the final word in clarity and precision. The Final Audio F7200 can be picked up at the Final Audio Store at Audio 46 for $479.

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