Bass
The Final ZE8000 has a good amount of bass and impact. The bass is dynamic, rounded, and well-textured. In this crazy V-shaped TWS market, it’s welcoming to hear a nicely balanced wireless unit. Don’t mistake this one for other TWS IEMs. You don’t have any boomy and over-the-top bass presentation here.
Still, the bass is a bit above neutral in my opinion, with a full and impactful nature. There’s good rumble and kick here. I think the mid-bass is the emphasized area in the bass range, the sub-bass is still well-defined so the bass has very good texture and balance.
The ZE8000 has a decent amount of bass, suitable for a variety of music genres. While it may not be the ideal choice for bass enthusiasts, it’s not lacking in that department either. The mid-bass is well-controlled, and the sub-bass provides good depth, resulting in overall satisfying low-end reproduction. Moreover, the Final Connect app comes with a Pro EQ feature that allows you to fine-tune the bass presentation to your liking.
Mids
The midrange of the ZE8000 sounds warm with a nice timbre. The feeling of the mid-range is very natural and actually impressive for a TWS IEM. The tonality aspect in particular is what sets this unit apart from other TWS units, with solid note weight and thickness together.
Mids also sound very sweet, with slight colouration probably to create a more satisfying note delivery. There is no sibilance or unwanted sharpness anywhere near the ZE8000 either, but the definition is definitely not missing. The midrange is not recessed, which sets it apart from typical TWS earbuds. The ZE8000 is great for those who enjoy vocal-oriented genres, instrumental music, jazz, or classical music, as it produces clear and well-defined sounds.
The resolution and dynamics in this area are also impressive, and it has excellent tonal accuracy. If you enjoy listening to vocals, you will be even more impressed with the performance. I am impressed with the way in which ZE8000 managed to reproduce the sounds of natural instruments and vocals. The level of detail and accuracy is impressive, and it makes for an enjoyable listening experience.
Treble
The treble performance of the ZE8000 is fairly good. There’s good articulation, detail and resolution. The extension, however, as usual with most TWS units, isn’t the best. There’s a noticeable roll-off and lack of extension/sparkle up top.
The treble is unaggressive, very well controlled, and nicely detailed despite that lack of extension. This is not a bright treble response with an aggressive approach. The treble is easygoing, and smooth, yet articulated and resolving. It is not muffled by any means, but if you’re looking for a sharp and crisp treble, it’s not present here.
Technical Performance
The presentation of the ZE8000 is spacious, particularly for a TWS earphone, which contributes to its strong sound stage. The instrument positioning is accurate, and there is plenty of air between them, while the relatively wide soundstage enhances the imaging. Overall, the ZE8000 delivers a robust technical performance and is a top contender in the TWS market.
The instrument separation in the mid-range is particularly noteworthy. The overall separation is excellent, with a clear focus and a deep black background. This leads to impressive stereo imaging for a TWS. The background is clean and dark enough for every instrument to be easily discerned.
The small problem with the ZE8000 is that it sometimes sounds a bit dark and too warm, although it packs a good amount of clarity regardless. The sparkle is not completely there with the treble and that is a contributing factor to that result. So I think overall it could’ve been just a bit brighter and crisper in its presentation. Again, you can alter the sound in the Final Connect app to your liking.
Comparisons
The ZE3000 is a very nice TWS unit. The design to me is fantastic, with an excellent flush fit and a lower profile body than the flagship. I would prefer the form factor of the ZE3000 if I have to choose one.
Sound-wise the ZE8000 has better bass with better texture and bass balance. It sounds wider and more spacious as well. It’s mids have better resolution and the treble is a bit more detailed. The ZE3000 falls a bit short in categories like coherency, spaciousness, clarity and mid-range tonality. The ZE8000 is definitely a step above in sound quality.
Another design with stems, the Earsonics AERO is a very nice unit that can handle daily tasks well, and it also sounds quite good. The fit of AERO is much better for me, with a flusher fit that makes it feel more secure.
In sound, the ZE8000 once again triumphs in the bass department and sounds a bit more fluid and textured in the mids. They both have rolled-off treble response but the ZE8000 sounds better in terms of sound-stage and overall imaging. I wish it had AERO’s fit success.
Conclusion
Final Audio’s latest attempt at the TWS IEM field is something unique and full of technology. The ZE8000 has everything you need from a TWS unit. Noise Cancelling, Ambient Mode, and even Wind Cut mode are all excellent options to have. There’s good build quality as well, and the Final Connect app adds lots of flexibility to the sound.
The fit experience certainly hasn’t been my cup of tea, but if you’re used to earbuds, I guess you’re okay. In my mind, the design/shape of the ZE3000 and the sound quality and technology of the ZE8000 would be a dream TWS setup.
Congrats to Final Audio for pushing even more in the TWS market to provide great, functional and practical products which sound very good.
Pros:
- A good set of features
- Good build
- Latest wireless technology
- Very balanced, audiophile type of sound
Cons:
- Fit is problematic
- No chance of tip-rolling
- Case is flimsy
Page 1: Final Audio, ZE8000, Packaging & Accessories, Design, Fit & Build Quality
Page 2: Connection Stability, Controls & Layout, Call Quality, Sound
