Disclaimers:
1) This product was provided to me by Final as a review sample at no cost. There is no incentive for a positive rating and this review expresses my honest opinion of the product. I also feel compelled to mention that I purchased the F7200’s younger sibling, the F4100, with my own money at CanJam NYC 2017.
2) Audio is a very subjective hobby, and my opinions might not accurately reflect your preferences and experiences. So please keep this in mind when reading my review.
Also, as this is my first review, I welcome any feedback and questions.
Introduction
Final (formerly Final Audio Design) is a Japanese audio company that was founded in 2009, but their history designing speakers and vinyl accessories dates back to 1974. Currently, they produce IEMs and headphones. The F7200 is the premium model of the F7200 ($479), F4100 ($279) and F3100 ($189) range. All three models contain the same single balanced armature driver with slightly different tunings. The F3100 lacks a removable cable and the F4100 lacks the premium cable and stainless steel construction of the F7200.
Final claims that these three earphones are the smallest in the world, and I see no reason to doubt that. In a market of countless IEMs with an ever-increasing number of drivers, the F7200 stands out for its minimalist approach. It keeps things simple, which in my view isn’t a bad thing.
Included in the simple cardboard box is the case, containing the F7200, the cable and the silicon tips, a paper roll containing the foam tips, the safe fit rings and earwax filters for the driver units, as well as paper documentation and the warranty card.
For this review, I used my iPhone 6 as a source and music ranging from 320kbps Spotify to lossless. I own higher end desktop sources, but believe that IEMs should be able to be driven well from a smartphone. The F7200 might sound slightly better with more expensive equipment, but they are relatively easy to drive at 42Ω, so I wouldn’t expect much of a difference. Final doesn’t provide a frequency response range or much else with regards to specs.
A Google search will bring up several authorized dealers that are selling the F7200 online. That is probably the easiest way to buy it if you’re interested.
Design – 10/10
The design and workmanship of the F7200 is superb. The headphone jack, splitter and earphones themselves are all made out of stainless steel. This is in contrast to the F4100 and F3100, which both use a magnesium-aluminum alloy. Stainless steel gives the unit a sophisticated and luxurious look and feel. The only downside of the stainless steel is that it can act as a fingerprint magnet, but due to the small size of the earphones it’s hard to notice unless you’re actively looking for it.
The cable deserves a paragraph of its own, as it is an excellent cable and a huge upgrade over the basic one included with the F4100. The F7200’s 1.2-meter removable cable has of a total of four strands of oxygen free copper (OFC) with silver coating. Each channel consists of two braided strands in a PVC tube, and the two tubes are beautifully braided prior to the splitter. The 3.5mm headphone jack is mostly stainless steel, with a small amount of plastic. It is very cleanly designed and has excellent strain relief. The other two ends of the cable terminate in industrial looking right-angle MMCX connectors. This is good as it allows the cable to be replaced or upgraded if necessary, but I have not found any other companies that make cables with these right-angle connectors and using standard straight MMCX cables will look silly and prove impractical. The only after-market company I have found that can make cables with them is Null Audio in Singapore, but I can’t speak to their quality. That being said, this cable is beautiful and extremely well made. I don’t see it failing anytime soon. And due to its high quality, I imagine it would please nearly all audiophiles, especially since it would cost a majority of the price of the F7200 to buy a serious upgrade. The only downside with regards to the cable is that the left and right channel markers are somewhat hard to see and the nub that marks the left channel took some getting used to until I was able to pick it out by feel. But this is a minor issue.
The case is silicon and can best be described as practical. It consists of a dome with a main compartment that holds the F7200 and then has the cable wrapped around the sides. The 3.5mm connector is then placed under the tray in a bottom compartment. This bottom compartment can also be used to store tips, but you would need to be careful as they might fall out when it is opened to remove the 3.5mm connector. The case is very compact and easily pocketable. I am also confident that it will more than adequately protect the F7200 for mobile use.
There are only two design issues that I can think of. The first is that the driver units can rotate on the MMCX connectors and spin around, although this doesn’t bother me. They will not come off of the connectors without some force, so there is no need to worry about them accidentally falling off. The second is that Final puts in fine print on its website and in the included documentation that the right angle MMCX connectors were not designed for frequent connecting and disconnecting. I have tried removing them and reattaching them several times and have had no issues, but it’s probably best not to do this unless the cable dies or you want to upgrade it. They do reserve the right not to cover the unit under the warranty if it is found that it failed due to terminal failure from frequently disconnecting the MMCX connectors. When purchased form an authorized dealer, the F7200 is backed by a two-year warranty.
To summarize this long section, the F7200 is made in Japan, and the workmanship is excellent. The connections between components are flawless. The change between the stainless-steel driver units to the gold MMCX connectors and then to the cable are perfect and aesthetically pleasing. This continues throughout to the 3.5mm jack. The case is compact and practical.
Comfort, Fit and Isolation – 9/10
I have grouped these three together because I believe that for IEMs they are all intimately related. If you don’t get a good fit, the earphones are likely to be uncomfortable and not isolate well.
The F7200 comes with five pairs of Final’s excellent E Type silicon tips and three pairs of foam tips that cover the entire driver unit. These are very different than typical Comply foam tips. Final’s silicon tips are the best I have yet used, and I have used a lot over the years. According to a pamphlet I received from Final at CanJam NYC 2017, the E Type earpieces, “employ two types of silicon differing in rigidity for the sound conduit and for the earbud that comes into contact with the user’s ear.” I used the medium silicon earpieces for this review. With these ear tips, it is easy to get a good seal and the F7200 stays put in my ear. Often with other IEMs, I will need to adjust the fit every ten or so minutes to keep a good seal. This isn’t necessary with the F7200.
The F7200 includes a pair of safe fit rings that prevent the driver units from pushing through the silicon earpieces and damaging the ear. I haven’t found it necessary to use these since the silicon tips grip the driver units so tightly, but if you are concerned about this they are there for you to use.
Unfortunately, the cable is very microphonic and noisy when worn down under the ears. I still prefer wearing them this way when at home since I can barely tell they’re there, but when on the go I wear them over the ear with the included ear hooks. This works well and essentially eliminates the noise from the cable.
The F7200 does a good job isolating outside noise. I have had no issues using it outside and on the go, although for flying I would still opt for a set of headphones with active noise canceling.
Overall, the F7200 are very comfortable. The silicon tips allow a fast and easy seal and prevent the unit from falling out when walking. I didn’t try running with these or anything too extreme, though.
Soundstage – 8.5/10
The F7200 has a very good soundstage with impressive imaging, especially considering its tiny size. Instruments have very good separation. This makes them easier to identify and pick out in more complex and layered tracks. While the soundstage is good, it is unrealistic to expect it to match those of Audeze’s open iSINE and other more conventional open-back headphones.
Highs (Treble) – 8.5/10
The highs are very good. I would describe the treble as airy, spacious and clear, with no sibilance. Piano notes and string instruments have good presence, and sound natural. Well-recorded acoustic tracks really shine. A harsh critic might point out that the highest frequencies are slightly exaggerated, but I like them as they are and think that they help prevent the sound from being boring and bland.
Mids – 9.5/10
I’ve read that Final products are known for their excellent midrange, and the F7200 certainly lives up to this reputation. The mids are accurate, smooth and clear. The midrange is very detailed and it is easy to distinguish the different sounds. I don’t find it to be overwhelming at all. They sound very natural, so much so that on well-recorded tracks I often feel like the artist is in the room with me. I have found that on some tracks female vocals can be a just a bit bright, but I fault the recording and mastering quality for this and not the F7200 as it occurs on a minority of tracks. Lower-frequency guitar and piano notes are clear, and positioned so that they appear to come from behind the vocals. I have found that this presentation makes it easy to relax and get lost in the music. When listening for several hours at a time, I haven’t experienced any fatigue and don’t tire of the sound.
Lows (Bass) – 6/10
If the F7200 falls short in one area, this is it. The bass is lacking, although I wouldn’t go so far as to call it anemic. There isn’t much sub-bass, due to the use of a single balanced armature driver, and the bass isn’t boomy at all. When listening to genres such as EDM, rap, dance or bass-heavy electronic music, it leaves me wanting more and unsatisfied. But on more bass-light genres, such as country, classical, some pop, some rock and vocal recordings, it can keep up and doesn’t diminish the enjoyment I get from the sound. If anything, on these tracks it really allows the mids and highs to shine through. I don’t think that the weak bass ruins the sound, but for me it has limited the genres which I can use the F7200 to listen to. It’s a bit disappointing that this weak spot in the sound exists, but this might be preferable to some and is an inevitable tradeoff of the single balanced armature design. I would also consider myself a basshead, so depending on your preferences these criticisms may not be as applicable.
Value – 6.5/10
With the F7200, I was expecting a large step up in sound compared to the my F4100, and I’m disappointed to say that I didn’t find it. They both sound very similar. That doesn’t mean that the F7200 is bad, as the extra $200 gets you better build quality and a vastly better cable. The F7200 is a much more stylish and luxurious product compared to the barebones F4100. Since the F7200 sounds very similar to its less-expensive sibling, I would have to label the F4100 as a much better value. But if you like the sound signature this IEM provides, and your budget allows it, the F7200 is a better product and will likely last longer due to the better build quality and cable.
Selected Comparisons
Final F4100 ($279) – I have found it hard to distinguish the difference between these two. If I had to put it into words, I would say the F4100 is a tiny bit warmer and has highs that are just a tad brighter than the F7200. But as they use the same driver, the sound signature is extremely similar. If I had to quantify it, I’d say there’s less than a 5% difference. Unfortunately, the F4100 has worse (although still acceptable) build quality and a much worse (but still microphonic) cable that is thinner and isn’t braided.
RHA T20i ($249) – I use the bronze treble filters on my T20s. The biggest difference between these two is the level of bass. The T20 has boomy, while still accurate bass, which the F7200 lacks. This makes it much better for bass-heavy genres such as EDM, dance and rap. However, the bass on the T20 slightly muddies the other frequencies, so the vocals are much clearer on the F7200. The highs are also a little overwhelming on the T20 when compared to the F7200. The F7200 is more comfortable for long listening sessions, while the T20 is better for on-the-go listening and features an iOS remote with volume control. I’d describe the T20 as an excellent value, since it’s so flexible, but it’s a very different product than the F7200.
Bose QuietComfort 20 ($249) – These are active-noise canceling earbuds, and don’t go fully in the ear. This makes them as comfortable as the F7200. The QC20s have a slight hiss from the noise cancellation when no music is playing. They sound nice in active mode, due to built-in digital signal processing, but I think that the F7200 has clearer vocals and a better soundstage. The QC20s have highs that sound a little veiled, but better, although slightly muddy, bass.
Conclusion – 8.29/10
Due to its weak bass, the F7200 is not suitable for bassheads or as an all-rounder IEM. But if you’d like to add an IEM to your collection that makes acoustic, live and classical recordings sound wonderful, the F7200 should definitely be on your list of models to audition. If the price is too high for you, save $200 and grab the F4100, resting assured that you are sacrificing little in terms of sound quality. In the arms race to see who can shove the most drivers into a cookie-cutter IEM enclosure, it’s refreshing to see a company take a step back and release an IEM that embraces a simpler design.
Averaging out the scores for all seven categories results in a score of 8.285/10. This is slightly higher than four stars, which is the rating that will be shown on this review. However, you can change the weighting of the various categories to better reflect your own preferences.
1) This product was provided to me by Final as a review sample at no cost. There is no incentive for a positive rating and this review expresses my honest opinion of the product. I also feel compelled to mention that I purchased the F7200’s younger sibling, the F4100, with my own money at CanJam NYC 2017.
2) Audio is a very subjective hobby, and my opinions might not accurately reflect your preferences and experiences. So please keep this in mind when reading my review.
Also, as this is my first review, I welcome any feedback and questions.
Introduction
Final (formerly Final Audio Design) is a Japanese audio company that was founded in 2009, but their history designing speakers and vinyl accessories dates back to 1974. Currently, they produce IEMs and headphones. The F7200 is the premium model of the F7200 ($479), F4100 ($279) and F3100 ($189) range. All three models contain the same single balanced armature driver with slightly different tunings. The F3100 lacks a removable cable and the F4100 lacks the premium cable and stainless steel construction of the F7200.
Final claims that these three earphones are the smallest in the world, and I see no reason to doubt that. In a market of countless IEMs with an ever-increasing number of drivers, the F7200 stands out for its minimalist approach. It keeps things simple, which in my view isn’t a bad thing.
Included in the simple cardboard box is the case, containing the F7200, the cable and the silicon tips, a paper roll containing the foam tips, the safe fit rings and earwax filters for the driver units, as well as paper documentation and the warranty card.
For this review, I used my iPhone 6 as a source and music ranging from 320kbps Spotify to lossless. I own higher end desktop sources, but believe that IEMs should be able to be driven well from a smartphone. The F7200 might sound slightly better with more expensive equipment, but they are relatively easy to drive at 42Ω, so I wouldn’t expect much of a difference. Final doesn’t provide a frequency response range or much else with regards to specs.
A Google search will bring up several authorized dealers that are selling the F7200 online. That is probably the easiest way to buy it if you’re interested.
Design – 10/10
The design and workmanship of the F7200 is superb. The headphone jack, splitter and earphones themselves are all made out of stainless steel. This is in contrast to the F4100 and F3100, which both use a magnesium-aluminum alloy. Stainless steel gives the unit a sophisticated and luxurious look and feel. The only downside of the stainless steel is that it can act as a fingerprint magnet, but due to the small size of the earphones it’s hard to notice unless you’re actively looking for it.
The cable deserves a paragraph of its own, as it is an excellent cable and a huge upgrade over the basic one included with the F4100. The F7200’s 1.2-meter removable cable has of a total of four strands of oxygen free copper (OFC) with silver coating. Each channel consists of two braided strands in a PVC tube, and the two tubes are beautifully braided prior to the splitter. The 3.5mm headphone jack is mostly stainless steel, with a small amount of plastic. It is very cleanly designed and has excellent strain relief. The other two ends of the cable terminate in industrial looking right-angle MMCX connectors. This is good as it allows the cable to be replaced or upgraded if necessary, but I have not found any other companies that make cables with these right-angle connectors and using standard straight MMCX cables will look silly and prove impractical. The only after-market company I have found that can make cables with them is Null Audio in Singapore, but I can’t speak to their quality. That being said, this cable is beautiful and extremely well made. I don’t see it failing anytime soon. And due to its high quality, I imagine it would please nearly all audiophiles, especially since it would cost a majority of the price of the F7200 to buy a serious upgrade. The only downside with regards to the cable is that the left and right channel markers are somewhat hard to see and the nub that marks the left channel took some getting used to until I was able to pick it out by feel. But this is a minor issue.
The case is silicon and can best be described as practical. It consists of a dome with a main compartment that holds the F7200 and then has the cable wrapped around the sides. The 3.5mm connector is then placed under the tray in a bottom compartment. This bottom compartment can also be used to store tips, but you would need to be careful as they might fall out when it is opened to remove the 3.5mm connector. The case is very compact and easily pocketable. I am also confident that it will more than adequately protect the F7200 for mobile use.
There are only two design issues that I can think of. The first is that the driver units can rotate on the MMCX connectors and spin around, although this doesn’t bother me. They will not come off of the connectors without some force, so there is no need to worry about them accidentally falling off. The second is that Final puts in fine print on its website and in the included documentation that the right angle MMCX connectors were not designed for frequent connecting and disconnecting. I have tried removing them and reattaching them several times and have had no issues, but it’s probably best not to do this unless the cable dies or you want to upgrade it. They do reserve the right not to cover the unit under the warranty if it is found that it failed due to terminal failure from frequently disconnecting the MMCX connectors. When purchased form an authorized dealer, the F7200 is backed by a two-year warranty.
To summarize this long section, the F7200 is made in Japan, and the workmanship is excellent. The connections between components are flawless. The change between the stainless-steel driver units to the gold MMCX connectors and then to the cable are perfect and aesthetically pleasing. This continues throughout to the 3.5mm jack. The case is compact and practical.
Comfort, Fit and Isolation – 9/10
I have grouped these three together because I believe that for IEMs they are all intimately related. If you don’t get a good fit, the earphones are likely to be uncomfortable and not isolate well.
The F7200 comes with five pairs of Final’s excellent E Type silicon tips and three pairs of foam tips that cover the entire driver unit. These are very different than typical Comply foam tips. Final’s silicon tips are the best I have yet used, and I have used a lot over the years. According to a pamphlet I received from Final at CanJam NYC 2017, the E Type earpieces, “employ two types of silicon differing in rigidity for the sound conduit and for the earbud that comes into contact with the user’s ear.” I used the medium silicon earpieces for this review. With these ear tips, it is easy to get a good seal and the F7200 stays put in my ear. Often with other IEMs, I will need to adjust the fit every ten or so minutes to keep a good seal. This isn’t necessary with the F7200.
The F7200 includes a pair of safe fit rings that prevent the driver units from pushing through the silicon earpieces and damaging the ear. I haven’t found it necessary to use these since the silicon tips grip the driver units so tightly, but if you are concerned about this they are there for you to use.
Unfortunately, the cable is very microphonic and noisy when worn down under the ears. I still prefer wearing them this way when at home since I can barely tell they’re there, but when on the go I wear them over the ear with the included ear hooks. This works well and essentially eliminates the noise from the cable.
The F7200 does a good job isolating outside noise. I have had no issues using it outside and on the go, although for flying I would still opt for a set of headphones with active noise canceling.
Overall, the F7200 are very comfortable. The silicon tips allow a fast and easy seal and prevent the unit from falling out when walking. I didn’t try running with these or anything too extreme, though.
Soundstage – 8.5/10
The F7200 has a very good soundstage with impressive imaging, especially considering its tiny size. Instruments have very good separation. This makes them easier to identify and pick out in more complex and layered tracks. While the soundstage is good, it is unrealistic to expect it to match those of Audeze’s open iSINE and other more conventional open-back headphones.
Highs (Treble) – 8.5/10
The highs are very good. I would describe the treble as airy, spacious and clear, with no sibilance. Piano notes and string instruments have good presence, and sound natural. Well-recorded acoustic tracks really shine. A harsh critic might point out that the highest frequencies are slightly exaggerated, but I like them as they are and think that they help prevent the sound from being boring and bland.
Mids – 9.5/10
I’ve read that Final products are known for their excellent midrange, and the F7200 certainly lives up to this reputation. The mids are accurate, smooth and clear. The midrange is very detailed and it is easy to distinguish the different sounds. I don’t find it to be overwhelming at all. They sound very natural, so much so that on well-recorded tracks I often feel like the artist is in the room with me. I have found that on some tracks female vocals can be a just a bit bright, but I fault the recording and mastering quality for this and not the F7200 as it occurs on a minority of tracks. Lower-frequency guitar and piano notes are clear, and positioned so that they appear to come from behind the vocals. I have found that this presentation makes it easy to relax and get lost in the music. When listening for several hours at a time, I haven’t experienced any fatigue and don’t tire of the sound.
Lows (Bass) – 6/10
If the F7200 falls short in one area, this is it. The bass is lacking, although I wouldn’t go so far as to call it anemic. There isn’t much sub-bass, due to the use of a single balanced armature driver, and the bass isn’t boomy at all. When listening to genres such as EDM, rap, dance or bass-heavy electronic music, it leaves me wanting more and unsatisfied. But on more bass-light genres, such as country, classical, some pop, some rock and vocal recordings, it can keep up and doesn’t diminish the enjoyment I get from the sound. If anything, on these tracks it really allows the mids and highs to shine through. I don’t think that the weak bass ruins the sound, but for me it has limited the genres which I can use the F7200 to listen to. It’s a bit disappointing that this weak spot in the sound exists, but this might be preferable to some and is an inevitable tradeoff of the single balanced armature design. I would also consider myself a basshead, so depending on your preferences these criticisms may not be as applicable.
Value – 6.5/10
With the F7200, I was expecting a large step up in sound compared to the my F4100, and I’m disappointed to say that I didn’t find it. They both sound very similar. That doesn’t mean that the F7200 is bad, as the extra $200 gets you better build quality and a vastly better cable. The F7200 is a much more stylish and luxurious product compared to the barebones F4100. Since the F7200 sounds very similar to its less-expensive sibling, I would have to label the F4100 as a much better value. But if you like the sound signature this IEM provides, and your budget allows it, the F7200 is a better product and will likely last longer due to the better build quality and cable.
Selected Comparisons
Final F4100 ($279) – I have found it hard to distinguish the difference between these two. If I had to put it into words, I would say the F4100 is a tiny bit warmer and has highs that are just a tad brighter than the F7200. But as they use the same driver, the sound signature is extremely similar. If I had to quantify it, I’d say there’s less than a 5% difference. Unfortunately, the F4100 has worse (although still acceptable) build quality and a much worse (but still microphonic) cable that is thinner and isn’t braided.
RHA T20i ($249) – I use the bronze treble filters on my T20s. The biggest difference between these two is the level of bass. The T20 has boomy, while still accurate bass, which the F7200 lacks. This makes it much better for bass-heavy genres such as EDM, dance and rap. However, the bass on the T20 slightly muddies the other frequencies, so the vocals are much clearer on the F7200. The highs are also a little overwhelming on the T20 when compared to the F7200. The F7200 is more comfortable for long listening sessions, while the T20 is better for on-the-go listening and features an iOS remote with volume control. I’d describe the T20 as an excellent value, since it’s so flexible, but it’s a very different product than the F7200.
Bose QuietComfort 20 ($249) – These are active-noise canceling earbuds, and don’t go fully in the ear. This makes them as comfortable as the F7200. The QC20s have a slight hiss from the noise cancellation when no music is playing. They sound nice in active mode, due to built-in digital signal processing, but I think that the F7200 has clearer vocals and a better soundstage. The QC20s have highs that sound a little veiled, but better, although slightly muddy, bass.
Conclusion – 8.29/10
Due to its weak bass, the F7200 is not suitable for bassheads or as an all-rounder IEM. But if you’d like to add an IEM to your collection that makes acoustic, live and classical recordings sound wonderful, the F7200 should definitely be on your list of models to audition. If the price is too high for you, save $200 and grab the F4100, resting assured that you are sacrificing little in terms of sound quality. In the arms race to see who can shove the most drivers into a cookie-cutter IEM enclosure, it’s refreshing to see a company take a step back and release an IEM that embraces a simpler design.
Averaging out the scores for all seven categories results in a score of 8.285/10. This is slightly higher than four stars, which is the rating that will be shown on this review. However, you can change the weighting of the various categories to better reflect your own preferences.