You might, like us, associate Japan’s Final Audio with high-end headphones and even higher-end headphones—but it’s a broad church, and Final wants to cater to as many folks as possible. Its E500 in-ear headphones are yours for the price of a couple of drinks at an upscale bar, but are longer-lasting and offer a great deal more pleasure in the long run.
Despite being close to “disposable” at this price (good news for those of us who don’t take the best care of our possessions), the E500 use the same 6.4-mm full-range dynamic driver that shows up in some of the company’s much more expensive earbuds—and they sound much more accomplished and enjoyable than the price suggests they might, even if they’re slightly lumpy in absolute terms. The 1.2-meter cable resists transmitting noise well, the build quality is perfectly fine, and the sound will suit anyone who values a punchy, upfront presentation nicely.
There are five pairs of silicone and foam ear tips in the package too, so these Final are almost worth the asking price in accessories alone.