The audio world has been anticipating this moment, and now the wait is over. Japanese audio specialists final have announced the launch of their new flagship ZE8000 true wireless earphones. final are not known to rush, and the ZE8000 is a culmination of their innovation, R&D, creativity and engineering capabilities that have been refined and explored over the years. The final ZE8000 will be available to buy on 23rd February 2023 in the UK, EU & US for (£299/€329/$349) from selected retailers online and in store including Amazon, Selfridges (UK), Harrods (UK) and Audio46 (US).

Previously known as final Audio, final are considered one of the most respected brands when it comes to high-end audio, with an extensive history within the audio world starting in Japan and going back as far as 1974, where they first developed their own turntable cartridge; with later releases of original products such as amplifiers and speakers. Since 2009, final has turned their attention to the world of portable audio, and their most recent flagship releases have influenced the creation and development of the ZE8000. In 2017, final released their D8000 flagship headphone which incorporated their very own planar magnetic technology (AFDS); developed in-house by final engineers. Later in 2019, the A8000 flagship wired earphone was released, utilizing final's truly pure Beryllium diaphragm driver; again designed and developed in-house. These discoveries have allowed final to foresee the untapped potential of wireless portable audio, and apply their years of development and engineering prowess into creating the flagship ZE8000 true wireless earphones; proudly included within their 8000 series lineup.For the ZE8000, final has developed their new "f-CORE for 8K Sound" ultra-low distortion driver with a large 13 mm diaphragm. This driver is extremely lightweight, using an aluminium-magnesium dome injection molded onto a highly flexible silicone surround, with a floating mechanism used for the voice coils. The impressively low total harmonic distortion (THD) from this driver is unique among other true wireless earphone models, providing the highest precision in digital signal processing results and allowing the fullest possible portrayal of sound texture and detail.

Class-AB Amplifier and Dedicated Digital Signal Processing
In order to achieve 8K Sound and fully utilize the new f-CORE driver, final has paid focused attention to the hardware nestled within the ZE8000. Class-AB amplifiers are known for their superior balance between sound quality and power efficiency, and are another element of the ZE8000 that sets it aside from the many TWS models typically using Class-D amplifier technology. Paired with the Polymer Multilayer Capacitors (PML CAPs) designed by Rubicon for digital signal processing, final's 8K Sound is fully realized in the ZE8000.

Impressive hardware matched with state-of-the-art software and final Connect app
The ZE8000 has been loaded with an impressive amount of features, some of which never before available until now. In order for music quality to always be the focus of the ZE8000, final has developed their sound quality prioritized Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). This ANC does not degrade the audio in any way, and the low-noise helps to create a quiet environment for listening; removing irritating ambient noise and enabling a stress-free listening experience.

There are four listening modes available for the ZE8000, all of which have their own benefits and clear intended scenarios for the user:

• Noise Cancelling Mode - Eliminates ambient noise and allows users to concentrate on the music.
• Wind-Cut Mode - Significantly eliminates wind noise captured by the microphones when there is a lot of ambient air movement.
• Ambient Sound Mode - Seamlessly blends music and ambient sound, allowing users to be aware of their surroundings while listening to music.
• Voice Through Mode - Ambient sound is prioritized over music, allowing for clear conversations without removing the earphones from the ears.

Unique to the ZE8000 is the Volume Step Optimizer. This feature allows users to fine tune their listening volume, transforming the smartphone's standard volume control to offer a finer volume adjustment at higher precision around the users reference level. This is easily customized using the final Connect app, and can be enabled or disabled to taste. In addition to SBC and AAC codecs, the ZE8000 supports the uninterrupted, high-quality Qualcomm aptX and aptX Adaptive codecs for wireless transmission at up to 24-bit/96 kHz.

Users of Snapdragon Sound enabled devices will be happy as the ZE8000 is fully compatible. This technology will upgrade their wireless connectivity even further with Snapdragon Sound technology, designed to give listeners the best possible audio experience for gaming, music streaming, voice and video calls, and more.
The "final Connect" app provides the following functions unique to the ZE8000, opened up in addition to basic functions such as checking the battery level of the earphones.

• Switch between 4 modes: Noise Cancelling, Wind-Cut, Ambient Sound, and Voice Through.
• PRO Equalizer allows users to make adjustments onto the sound presentation in the most effective way without causing degradation of sound quality
• Setting up the Volume Step Optimizer to upgrade the smartphone's volume control, allowing for finer volume adjustment near the preferred volume with greater precision.
• Switching the voice guidance language (Japanese/English)
• Activating 8K SOUND+
• Easily install firmware updates when available

The ZE8000 has been designed for comfort and stability. Using a division design, the dedicated ear-fitting division is shaped in a way to suit all ear shapes and sizes, with a number of eartips sizes provided. Then, contrary to many TWS models on the market, the outer division not only provides the ZE8000 with a stylish and elegant appearance; it also holds all of the components that normally get in the way of listening comfort. The carry case is equally stylish with USB-C charging and a battery charging indicator clearly visible. With the ZE8000, final has shown that high-end, hi-fi audio quality is possible from a wireless earphone; and this flagship is the first step towards realizing the full potential of portable audio.

Specifications

• Color: Black / White
• Communication Format: Bluetooth 5.2
• Chipset: Qualcomm QCC5141
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 44 kHz
• Codec Supported: SBC, AAC, Qualcomm aptX, aptX Adaptive
• Profiles Supported: A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
• Continuous Music Playback: 5 hours, Up to 15 hours with charging case
• Charging Time: 1.5 hours for earbuds / 2 hours for charging case
• Battery Capacity: 54 mAh for earbuds / 420 mAh for charging case
• Water Resistant: IPX4