Final (Final Audio)
Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan · founded 1974
Independent Japanese boutique whose flagship "8000" designations (A8000 IEM, D8000 headphone) are reserved for landmark products; known for pure-beryllium and planar drivers plus a strong reputation-building budget line (E-series).
Final (branded “final,” operated by S’NEXT / final Inc.) is a Japanese manufacturer of in-ear monitors and headphones headquartered in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, where its R&D, manufacturing, and logistics are consolidated. The lineage traces to Final Audio Design, founded in 1974 by Kanemori Takai to make high-end phono cartridges, with the modern operating company S’NEXT established in November 2007 with financing from Japan Molex, a subsidiary of U.S. connector maker Molex. The company became independent in 2014 through a management buyout that reacquired all shares from Japan Molex, after which the earphone and headphone lines were unified under the “final” brand; Mitsuru Hosoo has led the company as CEO since that transition. Alongside its own-brand products, the company has also produced OEM/ODM headphones.
At a glance
- Type
- Manufacturer
- Founder
- Kanemori Takai
- Founded
- 1974
- Headquarters
- Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
- Price range
- Budget → flagship
- Makes / sells
- in-ear monitors (IEMs), over-ear headphones, true wireless earphones, planar magnetic headphones, OEM/ODM headphones
- Known for
- single dynamic driver IEMs, pure beryllium diaphragm drivers, planar magnetic headphones, acoustic tuning and psychoacoustic design, 3D-printed titanium housings, budget-to-flagship breadth
- Website
- snext-final.com
Notable products
- A8000 — Flagship single-dynamic-driver IEM with a truly-pure-beryllium diaphragm; ~$1,999
- D8000 / D8000 Pro — Flagship planar magnetic headphone with Air Film Damping System; ~$3,999
- E3000 (E-series) — Widely acclaimed budget single-dynamic IEM line; long-running best seller
- ZE8000 — Flagship true-wireless IEM using a single dynamic driver; ~$349
- LAB I / LAB II — Limited earphones with 3D-printed titanium housings (2014 / 2016)
Sources: final — About Us (official) · final — A8000 product page (official) · Hi-Fi Hub — Final Audio Guide: Brand History and Headphone Lineup · cymbacavum — In Memoriam: Final Audio's Kanemori Takai · Headfonia — Final A8000 review · The Absolute Sound — Interview: Mitsuru Hosoo, Final Audio Design