
Japanese high-end brand Final Audio isn't hanging around when it comes to knocking-out new sets of headphones. Following on from the more affordable Sonorous II and III over-ears, come some new in-ear models.
With a driver housing measuring mere millimetres, Final Audio claims the F7200s are the smallest earphones in the world. They're also also incredibly light, weighing just 2g.
That super-small size ensures a good seal to help deliver a solid bass and improve noise isolation. There is also a choice of eight tips (five silicon, three foam). The in-ears can sit at the entrance of your ear canal or deeper inside your ear, claiming to offer a slightly different sound depending on the position.
The rigid stainless steel housing covers a full-range balanced armature driver, which is made in-house by Final Audio. There's a new, silver-coated cable made from wiring developed for use in the Japanese supercomputer ('kei' or K computer), allowing Final to make some bold claims about transmission speed.
Due in July, the Final Audio F7200 will cost around £330 ($480). There will also be F4100 and F3100 models, costing around £195 and £125.
Also on show at High End 2016 were the Lab II 3D-printed headphones. Sporting an intricate titanium housing that looks more like a piece of jewellery, the headphones' design is shaped by a 3D printer and laser-fused from titanium powder.
They use a new 15mm driver that's designed to be as light as possible to counter the weight of the casing. The earphones weigh 14g in total.
Get the What Hi-Fi? Newsletter
The latest hi-fi, home cinema and tech news, reviews, buying advice and deals, direct to your inbox.
Due out in limited numbers in August, the Final Audio Lab II will cost £2700.
See all the Munich High End Show 2016 highlights
Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff and The Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).