Today I am excited to conduct the Final Audio FI-BA-SS Earphones Review. I am a big fan of this company’s headphones, so I am curious about how their technology translates to earphones. Here are my thoughts on the Final Audio FI-BA-SS.

Final Audio FI-BA-SS Earphones Review

In the Box

As I open the Final Audio FI-BA-SS’s box it feels like Christmas morning. The box has a black snake-skin pattern with the classy Final logo in the center. On the inside of the top of the box, there is a User’s Manual and a warranty card.

On the other side, there is a leather drawstring carrying case. It holds the FI-BA-SS and a small bag of earpieces of various sizes. I have small ears so I reach for the small ones.

Design

The first thing I notice about these earphones is the weight of them. The earphones are heavier than others I’ve felt. They have a metal housing so I have no fears of them cracking although they might be susceptible to scratching.

It is worth noting that in the User Guide, Final warns that if the earphone is in a cold environment and the temperature rapidly changes, condensation can build up inside the housing. They recommend leaving the earphones alone for a while until the condensation evaporates. As a former Bostonian and now living in New York City, I would feel nervous about commuting with them during the winter months.

The BA-SS earphones look slick and classy. They are slender and shiny and I love the aesthetic of them overall. The metal housing is like a smooth mirror.

Fit

The BA-SS earphones didn’t agree with the shape of my ears, but I will admit that I have quite small ear canals. I had a hard time keeping them in place and creating a good seal. The metal was also cold when it touched my ear. I don’t mind it so much but I could imagine it being uncomfortable for some folks.

Other Features

The most notable feature of the BA-SS is the single balanced armature driver. It is directly connected to the circuit, and there are no other drivers to complicate the system. Most armature drivers systems have multiple drivers that receive specific frequencies via a crossover. This system is able to be so simple because of Final’s BAM Mechanism. According to Final, the BAM Mechanism vent at the tip of the earphone prevents sound leakage and controls airflow. It is responsible for producing “powerful bass and a deep 3D spatial expression”. Let’s take a listen and see how the Final BA-SS performs!

Sound

Bass

The bass frequencies are impressively clear. They are full but balanced. It feels like there is a small boost around 80Hz. Despite this boost there is no cloudiness and there is nice separation between kick drums and bass guitars across genres.

Midrange

The first thing I notice about the midrange is a pretty hefty boost around 5kHz. It makes the vocal sit louder in the mix than it does on other earphones. While I don’t think it sounds unpleasant, I do wish it was a bit more conservative. The midrange certainly has a sound to it and I could see some folks enjoying it and others not liking it. The middle still feels spacious and has plenty of room to breath. It looks like the BAM Mechanism is working!

Treble

The highs sound extremely nice on these earphones. It feels like there might be another bump somewhere around 12Hz which gives it a modern feel. There is a lot of air, something up and beyond 20kHz that gives the cymbals a particular clarity.

After listening to a plethora of genres, I think they sound great with anything with vocals.

Overview

These earphones have a classy design and a signature sound because of its unique single balance armature drivers and BAM Mechanism technology. I would recommend these earphones for at-home listening and avoid on-the-go listening because of the potential issues with temperature change and condensation. These headphones run for $1000, not cheap by any means, so I recommend listening to them first to make sure the unique sound they produce is pleasant to you.

These earphones are available for the best price at Audio 46 or Amazon.

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