Final Audio ZE2000 Review

Final Audio ZE2000 Review

Earlier this year, Japanese audio company Final Audio released the ze3000 with a mission to bring audiophile sound quality to an affordable, true wireless unit. Just a few months later, the company is releasing something of a companion piece: the Final Audio ze2000. Intriguingly coming in only $10 cheaper than the ze3000 at $139.99 and boasting a different sound profile, let’s see what work Final Audio put into the ze2000, and most importantly, what it sounds like.

What’s In The Box?

-Final Audio ze3000 True Wireless earbuds.

-Recharging Carrying Case

-Troubleshooting guide

-User Manual

-USBC Cable

-5 Pairs of Type E Eartips (XS/S/M/L/XL)

Look and Feel

Other than not having having the aesthetic option of a Shibo finish, the ze2000 has a nearly identical look to the ze3000. The lightweight, pocket sized metal carrying case charges by way of USBC connection and provides some solid protection for the buds, which have a uniquely angular and somewhat pentagonal shape. While the chic and modern shape and style is almost certain to catch some eyes when they’re in your ears, I did find one of the angles occasional poking against the rim of my ear, which necessitated an occasional adjustment. Honestly, I wouldn’t change this: they look cool enough to forgive having to give them a light poke every now and then. Aside from the slight edge, the buds are liberatingly lightweight and feel pretty good in the ears once you get the angles right.

Design, Bluetooth and Battery

Like the ze3000, some of the defining features behind the ze2000’s acoustic tech is its f-Link and f-Core features. Using f-Link, the ze2000 optimizes pressure in the acoustic chamber to offset the pressure issues that can arise from the insulated venting design present in waterproof wireless buds. Many wireless earphones without vents end up with a bass boost that manufacturers frequently try to offset by boosting highs, resulting in a heavily EQed sound that’s crafted out of necessity rather than musicality or refinement. Thus, f-Link serves to bring a natural and balanced sound that is lacking in so many wireless buds. Where f-Link deals with balance, f-Core makes use of a special diaphragm configuration with a silicon edge and special resin to eliminate distortion with exacting accuracy.

Same as the ze3000, the ze2000 boasts a rather impressive battery life with 7 hours of continuous playback per charge. Another 4 charges are stored in the carrying case, bringing the unit to a total of 35 hours of playback on one full charge (1.5 hours of charging).

When inside a mostly empty office, I had no issues with the wireless connection and was able to hear my music without interruption until I entered a different room about 50 feet away from my device; pretty good. Serious problems emerged however when I went outside on a busy and disruptive street in midtown Manhattan with my phone in my pocket. Dropouts and skips occurred at a worryingly high frequency, even upon resetting the Bluetooth connection. I’m not sure if I can entirely blame the ze2000 for this though, as my phone is a prehistoric Google Pixel 3a, which relies on Bluetooth 5.0 technology. On top of that, I was listening to Tidal streams at HiFi and Master quality. Long story short: I probably was putting the ze2000’s wireless connection through the ringer before experiencing drop outs. In a stable environment I had absolutely no issues with dropouts, and it seems fair to assume that more up-to-date phones with Bluetooth 5.2 will go a long way in establishing a more secure connection.

–Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20 kHz

–Battery (Continuous Music Playback): 7 hours/charge (additional 4 charges in case, total of 35 hours)

–Wireless Connection: Bluetooth 5.2

–Codecs: SBC, AAC, Qualcomm aptX, aptX adaptive

–Chipset: Qualcomm QCC3040

Sound Stage

I was a little surprised to see that Final Audio advertised the sound stage on the ze2000 when explaining its differences from the ze3000; Japan’s consumer audio market is known for being pretty well developed and refined, so it’s nice to see that Final Audio would put effort into a new release just for a new take on the sonic image. That being said, I found it a bit small and of average, adequate wideness. There was still an element of 3D space that opened up with reverbs and vocals, but overall I was neither impressed nor dissatisfied with it. Spatially, it was good enough, but an aspect that stuck out to me was an exceptional smoothness in how it handled pans and stereo effects.

What impressed me more than the imaging was the extremely well balanced tone contained in the ze2000. When reading the tech specs on an earbud, I’m always on the look out for snake oil. But I have to say that the f-Link technology really must have gone a long way, as the EQ was exceedingly natural with accurate and lightweight layering. Whether it was heavy, bass-dense dance tracks or solo acoustic performances, the ze2000 handled it quite convincingly and gracefully.

Lows

Subs and bass came through tastefully, with just enough boom to be felt but not so much as to dominate a mix. This really is a unique trait of a wireless bud, which in my experience usually have an immediately noticeable weight and thickness on the low end. The physical inner ear-tap-feeling that subs in kick drums can deliver came through even on tracks without particularly heavy low end, in a way that was more accurate than it was boosted, which I think is a testament to some really nice dynamic sensitivity in the ze2000.

Mids

While the tone remains exceptionally balanced as it goes into the center of the frequency spectrum, it leans into its high mids more than its lower mids. I wouldn’t call the low mids scooped; it’s more like they stay neutral as the high mids add some crunch to snares and emphasize the fry in vocals a little more than they do the fundamental. I do think a little more warmth in the low mid area could have been afforded since it’s not like it would be competing with an overly boosted bass response. That is mostly a speculative critique; while the ze2000 isn’t what I would call warm, it’s not sterile or empty either, and ultimately I was very pleased with its handling of the middle frequencies.

Highs

Ah, my favorite part of the ze2000’s balance. Neither harsh nor overcompensating, the ze2000 doesn’t shy away from its highs, which I would even call smooth. I put on some Colin Stetson and heard the circular breathing in his saxophone playing in deeply intimate and realistic detail. Vocal reverbs have a well pronounced tail that brings depth to the otherwise small image. Very high pitched harmonic qualities in acoustic guitars are retained with an easy naturalness, as are cymbals on acoustic drum kits. The upper end of the frequency spectrum is a simple chef’s kiss on an already classy and refined EQ.

Overall

Without ANC, microphone, or app, the ze2000 seems to carry out a simple mission very well: playing music wirelessly without sacrificing a natural tone. In this sense, the ze2000 seems like more of a Beyerdynamic product than the Beyerdynamic Free BYRD does. My personal preferred tone in headphones is a flat and accurate balance, and the ze2000 left me very satisfied in that regard. All things considered, the ze2000’s stylish and lightweight qualities, sizable battery life and, most importantly, loyalty to the mix leads me to say that $139.99 is a thoughtful and reasonable price coming from Final Audio.

TL;DR:

-Stylish and lightweight

-35 hours of continuous playback when case and buds are fully charged.

-Some questionable issues with connectivity.

-Adequate imaging

-Exceptionally natural and clear balance, particularly crisp yet smooth highs.

The Final Audio ze2000 is available for purchase at Audio46.