Final’s new flagship headphones are incredible and incredibly expensive
- Final’s flagship D8000 headphones have been extensively redesigned
- Two models: one for relaxed listening and one for loud listening
- From £3,999 / $4,299 / approximately AU$7,959
Let’s get this out of the way first: the new Final D8000 DC and DC Pro headphones cost at least four thousand dollars in the currency of your choice. So if you’re looking for the best budget headphones, you might want to skip the rest of this bulletin.
However, if you have the money to drop between $4,299 and $4,799 on a pair of headphones without blinking – and if you do, are you single and looking? Has anyone ever told you how smart, funny and handsome you are? – then these audiophile over-ears promise to deliver amazing audio.
Latest D8000 DC and DC Pro headphones: Key features and prices
The two models of D8000 headphones are very similar, but tuned differently. The D8000 DC “has a tuning meant to be enjoyed” for relaxed music listening, while the DC Pro model is aimed more at audio professionals and those of us who like to listen loudly. That means it’s tuned to deliver more prominent bass as listening volume increases.
The original D8000 planar magnetic headphones were launched seven years ago, and the DC and DC Pro are the latest evolution of that winning formula. The DC, says Final, stands for “Da Capo – symbolizing a return to the beginning, a complete reconstruction of Final’s flagship headphones with a fresh, innovative approach.”
There’s a new version of Final’s patented Air Film Damping System, which has been developed to regulate diaphragm movement and deliver richer, distortion-free bass. Final says it overcomes the magnetic limitations of other planar headphones for superior accuracy and a “deep, balanced soundstage.”
In the new DC models, the AFDS has been redesigned: every piece of metal mesh around the diaphragm has been redesigned. The diaphragm they surround is ultra-light etched aluminum, reducing the weight of the vibration system by approximately one-third, providing faster response and improved high-frequency clarity.
Both models are available now from selected UK retailers; US customers can pre-order for mid-December shipping. Prices are $4,299 / €4,299 / £3,999 for the DC model and $4,799 / €4,799 / £4,499 for the DC Pro.