It had to happen at some point in time! After a good number of reviews covering wired headphones and earphones, sources, and even plenty of wireless earphones, I had to get going with wireless headphones, too. This is the product segment that is somehow both new and old alike, competing with TWS sets for those who do not want wires and seemingly losing the battle. But there are many places where wireless headphones can't be bested by TWS earphones, including massive battery lives by comparison, larger drivers for more impactful sound, room for other technological features, and potentially more comfort. I have used and listened to several wireless headphones over the years, including many I could have reviewed, but they were either too long in the tooth, EOL, or just not that interesting.

When we published the press release about the final audio UX3000 being announced, the general reception seemed to be one of optimism and curiosity, especially given the cost of these compared to the brand heritage final carries. The feature set and no-nonsense design is also an appealing factor, and the Shibo coating adds a functional and novel aesthetic to further tip the scale in favor of the UX3000. There are a few things final audio needs to do for mainstream market appeal, including perhaps collaborating with a software solutions brand such as HiBy on a mobile app that does more than just register the product and prioritizing the technological side further with a newer chipset and better microphones and ANC implementation. There is no aptX Adaptive, LDAC, or LHDC codec support, and no ambient or hear-through mode either, so I am not sure why final is calling this hybrid ANC!

Either way, compared to the few others I did check out to finish this review, the final UX3000 ends up having the best balance throughout. There is a lot to like here, and the $150 price point is reasonable for what you get. In fact, in a big change from the norm, pricing in a few other regions is even better given £119 converts directly to $149 but already includes VAT! This alone makes the final UX3000 an attractive offering in Europe, and those who want a closed-back set that isn't fully devoted to bass-heads will find the final UX3000 to be a good option.