Every audiophile has their end-game headphones. The pair that they aim for, that they absolutely need to have. The headphones that they claim will finally bring their search to an end. Some of us get those headphones, while others watch with jealousy at price tags that only the richest can afford.
My end game headphones just shifted — and its all thanks to one of my favorite headphone brands, Final, and the headphones it just launched. The D8000 DC and the DC Pro both look absolutely stunning. And, thanks to the audio wizards in Final's native Japan, they're also going to sound incredible too.
But you would hope so — they're going to cost nearly $5,000.
Sorry — how much?
There are two models of headphones launching from the house of Final, and they come in different price points. Both are expensive — the D8000 DC cost $4,299/€4,299/£3,999, and then the C8000 DC Pro cost $4,799/€4,799/£4,499.
That's a lot of money no matter how you slice it, but there's a good reason to those high prices. Both headphones use Planar Magnetic driver tech. That's the tech-du-jour in audiophile land at the moment, thanks to its ability to (in part) product much better bass, wider mids, and crisper highs.
Final has added in something new, however. It's calling it "AFDS", or Air Film Damping System, which it says "uses air’s natural characteristics to regulate diaphragm movement, providing richer, distortion-free bass reproduction.
By overcoming typical planar magnetic constraints, AFDS allows for a deep, balanced soundstage that captures audio with remarkable accuracy across the spectrum."
The difference between the two headphones is tuning for the most part. Where the D8000 DC are tuned for consumer tastes, the DC Pro are tuned for mixers, producers and other music professionals.
These are not headphones for your trip on the bus, of course. These are designed to be used in a dedicated listening room, hooked up to an impressive headphone amp. They are a deliberate listening choice — one that I am excited to make.
DC apparently stands for "Da Capo", or "the beginning", and it's all about going to back to Final's origin making epic headphones and audio gear. They're made from premium materials in Final's home in Kawasaki, Japan.
I adore the gear that Final makes, and I can't wait to try out the D8000 DC. Please also join my go fund me, called "Tammy wants to buy a pair of her end game headphones".
The D8000 DC and DC Pro are available to pre order in the US now, and they'll ship out at the end of the year — and I reckon they'll be in with a chance of being the best audiophile headphones around.
