High-end audio brand Final just released a $65 headphone, and I'm fascinated

For a brand synonymous with boutique in-ear monitors (IEMs) and meticulously engineered headphones, Final isn’t known for bargain pricing. But that’s precisely why today’s dual release is turning heads across the audio world. And anyone seeking a new set of premium-quality cans should sit up and take note.

Revered among audiophiles, the Japanese company is now stepping into the mainstream with the UX1000 and UX5000; two wireless, over-ear models that promise an elite level of tuning at unusually democratic prices. At $64.99 / £49.99 and $249.99 / £199.99 respectively, both land well below what you'd expect to pay for a pair of headphones carrying Final’s logo. And certainly make them potential contenders for inclusion in our list of the best budget audiophile headphones list.

While the former aims to bring Hybrid ANC and fatigue-free listening to entry-level buyers, the latter channels flagship A-series engineering into a modern wireless package. Either way, for cash-strapped audio purists, this is the most exciting Final launch in years.

What does the UX1000 offer?

Final’s new UX1000 is arguably the bigger shock of the two announcements, due to its rock-bottom price. At just £49.99 / $64.99 / €63.99, this is the most affordable over-ear headphone the brand has ever produced. ANC cans at this price often struggle with thin sound, aggressive treble and questionable build quality. The UX1000, though, is designed to be the antidote to all of that.

Engineered with Final’s signature natural, fatigue-free tuning, these headphones use a carefully optimised driver that promises to avoid the heavy-handed Digital Signal Processing (DSP) other budget models rely on. The Hybrid ANC system – with both feedforward and feedback mics – aims to reduce noise without smothering the tonal balance, while Ambient Mode should allow exterior sound back into your ears when you need it.

Battery promises to stretch to a huge 70 hours with ANC off (40 with it on), and Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint lets you stay connected to two devices at once, making it easy to switch between, say, music and calls. Lightweight, foldable and available in black or grey, it's sounds like an entry-level model that shouldn't feel like one.

What does the UX5000 offer?

Sitting higher in the price bracket at £199.99 / $249.99 / €229.99, the UX5000 is pitched as a more serious over-ear contender – and one clearly informed by Final’s work on its flagship A-series.

The newly developed 40mm dynamic driver is the centrepiece here; tuned using the same acoustic principles that guide Final’s top-tier engineering. Its three-dimensional soundstage is designed to outperform typical wireless models in this bracket, offering clarity, depth and a sense of spatial realism more often associated with dedicated studio headphones.

Where the UX1000 focuses on accessibility, the UX5000 is about refinement. Qualcomm’s QCC3095 SoC provides the wireless backbone, ensuring stable, high-quality streaming, while the internal damping and cavity design aim to achieve accurate bass extension and crisp high-end detail.

Again, the styling here is understated but unmistakably Final. We're talking minimalist lines, plush padding and a lightweight frame built for long listening sessions. In a market crowded with lifestyle-led headphones, the UX5000 stands out as a rare mid-priced model created primarily for high-end sound quality.

Is Final a good brand?

Never heard of Final? Then the price of today's launches may give the impression they're a mid-tier brand – but that couldn't be further from the truth. The brand’s reputation is rooted firmly in high-end audio culture.

Founded in 2007, the company is known for its obsessive approach to materials, tuning and long-term product longevity. Many of its most celebrated IEMs, such as the A3000 and A8000, sit somewhere between £119 and £1,999, and are prized for their clarity and precision. Further up the price bracket, their D8000 Pro planar-magnetic headphones (which approach £3,000), embody the company’s minimalist industrial style: clean, sculptural lines and meticulous Japanese build quality.

More broadly, Final’s philosophy of “the comprehensive pursuit of things that are fundamentally right” extends from acoustics to user experience; whether you're talking about 3D-printed components, carefully engineered repairability or its signature fatigue-free sound. The UX1000 and UX5000 mark a rare expansion into mass-market territory, but hopefully they will maintain the brand’s core philosophy.

For creatives who care about sonics but don’t always have audiophile budgets, this shift towards affordability is both surprising and very welcome. I'm intrigued to see if this is a one-off dip in the water or a whole new business strategy for the brand. Either way, for anyone looking to buy into Final, there's never been a better time.