Finals E500 are excellent all-rounders at a very reasonable price. These wired in-ears make listening to music fun; allow fatigue-free listening to podcasts or radio broadcasts, and score points with their good spatial reproduction even in binaural productions. These minimalist headphones do not offer a remote for controlling the device, but otherwise, there is not much that this comfortably fitting bargain can do wrong.
- light, slim design
- comfortable fit with stability
- workmanship
- sound quality
- cable noises present
With the E500, Japanese manufacturer Final has added inexpensive, wired in-ear headphones to its range, which, due to their spatial presentation capabilities, are also expected to be suitable for virtual reality applications. The housing of these lightweight, delicate headphones is made of thermoplastic ABS polymer material to reduce vibrations that affect the sound.
The slim design of these robust-looking in-ears can be worn under a cap if required and visually, they hardly stand out. At the same time, good adaptability is ensured as the ear tips are supplied in five different sizes. These are based on a tube design, which embeds itself flexibly in the ear canal without compressing, ensuring direct transmission. In addition, the custom-made ear tips have a stable fit, are comfortable to wear over time and are characterised by a high degree of shielding. Commercially available ear moulds, on the other hand, are only partially compatible, as the shaft is usually shorter, which does not allow a fixed position.
Apart from that, both the impeccable workmanship of these headphones and features such as the gold-plated mini jack plug and a well-proportioned cable diameter give an impression of high quality, even if above the splitter there is a tendency to cable noise. The integrated slider can attenuate this, but a cable clip is recommended as a more effective solution.
Sound
The E500 has a clear, uncluttered sound image with a round, slightly springy bass response that sounds well defined, reproduces right down to the low bass range and is fun to listen to without being overloaded. Also, the present, lively reproduction of voices is very appealing and characterised by high intelligibility in spoken content and films, so that listening does not become tiresome. Another pleasant feature is that the high-frequency range shows no peaks or sharpness. The trebles appear a little more restrained, but do not drop noticeably. All in all, there is a discreet, warm rounding so that the basic sound does not seem sterile or hard at all, but is perceived as natural.
Striking and, given the price range, impressive for an in-ear system, the virtual stage of these headphones seems quite spacious and has a good spatial gradation in depth. In this respect, with binaural audiobooks, games, etc., a clear localisation of direction is possible, resulting in a realistic listening impression.
Technical specifications
- Ear couplingIn-ear
- Typeclosed
- Transducer principledynamic
- Impedance16 ohms
- Sound pressure level (SPL)98 dB
- Weight with cable15 g
- Cable length120 cm
What's in the box
- Eartips in five sizes (SS, S, M, L, LL)
