Closer Examination

The case is instrumental to true wireless earphones, providing storage and charging capability, and the case design is instrumental to the EVA2020 x final TWS earphones. I mentioned before how there are currently four editions for sale based on four popular Evangelion mechs, and the Mark.06 unit that is the inspiration for this sample adopts a blue and orange color scheme. The case is quite unlike anything else I have seen before, with a very "mech design" throughout, including accent pieces, cutouts, lines and curves, and a form factor that is certainly not going to be compared to the usual Apple/Sony/Samsung-style TWS charging cases. Pardon my ignorance if this is supposed to look like anything specific, and we see a black base with raised feet to keep it on your desk as a show piece as well. This is good considering it is also the largest such case I have had to date, although still pocketable. It certainly feels sturdier than any other such implementation I have experienced first-hand. There is a solid hinge at the back, with the expected Type-C port underneath. A cutout in the front is marked by the orange trim.


After opening the box, we find out why it is so large despite the buds being so small. Aesthetics clearly contribute, with more branding inside, but there is also the relatively large 950 mAh battery, which bodes well for battery life. Cutouts in the plastic accommodate the two individual ear buds, which have a plastic cover over the charging pins that prevent any leakage but also stop charging unless you remove them. There is technical information about the battery and charging characteristics involved, which confirms the case battery capacity, and each of the buds has a 50 mAh battery inside as well, making for an extra nine charging cycles if fully charged to begin with. As seen above, an indicator LED in the housing of each bud lights up orange when charging for a quick visual indicator. There are also four indicator LEDs on the front of the case, for an indication of battery life in 25% increments. Taking the buds out for a look on their own, and combined with the case, shows that final has done a good job of making the design similar to the specific Evangelio Mark.06 mech unit.


The shell of the EVA2020 x final TWS earphones is also quite angular and aggressive in design, which fits the theme well. As with the case, we get a plastic construction that is no doubt injection molded for the detail combined with the need to be lightweight and durable (and inexpensive to manufacture). There are curves as well, and the use of the blue and orange color scheme continues here with a large orange "MFB" button on each bud that is used for a lot of things we will get to on the next page. The Khara logo (the animation studio behind Evangelion) is seen on the inner surface alongside "final," with L or R in between to denote which ear the bud goes into. The sides have vents and microphones alike, as well as the 06 branding to complete the looks. There is no mention of an IP rating, so we had best not use these for workouts or outdoors.


Unfurling the stock tips, in size M as expected, reveals more about the design of these final Type-E proprietary ear tips. There's not much to see here except for a more detailed core, and the nozzles on the buds have a notch to better keep the tips in place. There is also a mesh at the end to prevent any dust or contamination from getting to the driver system underneath, and the nozzle is about average in length for TWS earphones. Seen above are also photos of one stock tip next to the SpinFit CP100 and CP145, all in size M. The SpinFit tips have a different core diameter, and both are plenty fine with the nozzle on these earphones. The two SpinFit tips are also longer and with a nipple-like design that promises a better, more ergonomic fit and seal, while the final Type-E tips are meant to softly attach at the ear canal entrance so there is almost no foreign body sensation. This may or may not work well, which we will discuss later on.


Here is a closer look at the two SpinFit tips in action, especially the CP100 with the flexible pivot at the core allowing the tip to bend into the ear canal more naturally. I will say that you need to push the SpinFits in further than you may think, which seems foreboding but ends up extremely comfortable. The CP145 in orange also nicely matches the rest of the color scheme here, although that is only a happy coincidence.


Seen above are stock photos of the entire collection of four color schemes available under the EVA2020 x final TWS earphone lineup. The fourth one, NERV in black and red, is a recently launched limited edition. We see a lot in common here, with effective color palette swaps and number and icons being different across the four.