One minute review
It's been a long time coming, but finally Final Audio has released a pair of wireless over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation. And what's more, the company jumped straight to number one.
The Final Audio UX3000 is nothing special, despite having an interesting finish on most of the plastics used in its construction. But its specs, including aptX Low Latency Bluetooth, long battery life, and active noise cancellation, go a long way toward making up for that. Plus, their relatively modest size and weight make them a realistic proposition for anyone who wants to listen in comfort.
- Final Audio UX3000 on Amazon for €149
Once they're in your head, there's almost nothing to complain about. Yes, the noise cancellation here is good, not great, but its vibrancy, detail recovery and, ultimately, musicality make the UX3000 an engaging and highly enjoyable listen. No genre is off limits here - these headphones love all the music you love.
If you've been looking for a pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones but hesitated at the class-leading price point, then Final Audio has some good news for you. Read on for our full Final Audio UX3000 review.
Final Audio UX3000: price and release date
- Available now
- € 149 / € 119 (around AU € 200)
The Final Audio UX3000 wireless active noise-cancelling in-ear headphones are on sale now for €149/£119. Australian pricing has yet to be confirmed, but it equates to around AU$200.
That's close to entry-level for wireless headphones with active noise cancellation circuitry, but that doesn't mean the UX3000 is hands-free. The Jabra Elite 85h only costs a little more and the dynamic Urbanista Miami a little cheaper.
Final Audio UX3000: design and features
- Bluetooth 5 with aptX Low Latency
- 35 hours of battery life
- Google Assistant and Siri support
Final Audio seems to have aimed for nothing more radical than "compact" and "well-textured" with the UX3000 design. They're pleasantly light headphones, fold neatly (a soft carry bag is included in the box), and feature ear cups that don't threaten to swallow the smaller heads among us.
Despite their minimal weight, the UX300s feel sturdy. All moving parts feel sturdy, and all contact points feature well-calculated padding beneath soft synthetic leather. All non-padded parts are hard plastic, Final Audio uses a "shibo" finish - "shibo" is an old Japanese word meaning "a fold in the surface of paper or leather", and is used to make the ' UX3000 a slightly more appealing visual proposition than most comparably priced alternatives.
The left earcup has a USB-C input for charging and an "on/off" button for active noise cancellation. The UX3000 should last 35 hours on a single charge if the ANC is off, and around 25 hours if it's on. From the ground, they can be fully charged in about two and a half hours; there is no wireless charging capability. The headphones can be used with ANC turned on even if there's no signal coming in, which Final Audio charmingly calls an "earmuff" feature.
On the right ear cup there's a 3,5mm analog input for wired listening and three handy control buttons. One covers 'turn on/off', 'Bluetooth pairing', 'answer/end/reject call' and 'activate voice assistant' (Siri and Google Assistant are supported). The other two deal with 'volume up/down', 'skip forward/back' and 'play/pause'.
Each headset has internal and external microphones, call handling, voice assistant interaction, and active noise cancellation. Final Audio believes that its "hybrid" noise-cancelling methodology delivers class-leading noise cancellation and audio reproduction that is unaffected by ANC - the full-range driver inside each earcup has been specially designed to withstand the stresses imposed on it by the ANC circuits in operation. .
Wireless connectivity is via Bluetooth 5 and there is support for SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX Low Latency codecs.
Final Audio UX3000: Audio Performance
- detailed and dynamic
- good tonal balance
- Indifferent to delicate rhythms and tempos
We might as well cut to the chase here: factor in the asking price and the Final Audio UX3000 are a very accomplished pair of headphones. They're not even remotely flashy in the way they sound, and they're not trying to impress you with overconfident bass or in-your-face sonic staging. Instead, they offer accuracy and fidelity. That means they're not the most exciting to listen to at first; however, just give them some time, and their unbiased, poised and insightful demeanor is really very persuasive.
Key specs
Acoustic Design: Closed
Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz
Drivers: Dynamic
Battery life: 35 hours
Active noise cancellation? Yes
Additional Features: aptX Low Latency, Multipoint Connectivity
That doesn't give you the whole story, but once through PJ Harvey's Man-Size it reveals a lot about what makes the UX3000 such a compelling pair of headphones. The track's remarkable immediacy is delivered in its entirety, with the transient distortion around the guitar and percussive sounds highlighted (but not exaggerated). The gritty-toothed attack of vocals and drums is tangible, and the overall feel of the musicians playing as a unit, in the same place and at the same time, is more apparent here than through any wireless headphone at a comparable price point. .
Tone is expertly judged, with convincing integration from top to bottom. Bass sounds are full and solid, with a direct punch and plenty of detail, and that goes for crisp, substantial highs as well. In the middle, the midrange communicates eloquently: again, detail levels are high and the vocalist's character and technique are on full display.
The soundstage generated by the UX3000 isn't the most expansive, but it's not restricted either, and it's very well defined. In addition to "from left to right", the ending has no problem describing "from front to back" on the stage, and there is no confusion in individual positions. They have no problem handling the classic "quiet/loud/high" indie dynamic of the recording, but are subtle and observant enough to handle harmonic variations from pick to pick.
Switching to What's Newman? of David 'Fathead' Newman? allows the UX3000 to showcase the rest of its talents. They are utterly confident when it comes to the languid pace and slow tempo of the recording, expressing it with genuine positivity and confidence. The double bass's plucked notes have weight, depth and detail to spare, but are controlled with due authority. And when the super-Ron Burgundy jazz flute really kicks in, the Finale stays smooth and musical where lesser designs can get shrill.
There are some downsides to the performance of the UX3000. In absolute terms, they might work out the upper end of the frequency range a bit more than they do, but we're really looking for reviews now, and let's not forget the asking price, okay?
Active noise cancellation is good enough to deal with most external distractions; Obviously, we're not talking about noise denial levels like Bose's, but we're not talking about Bose's money, either. And the fact that the Final can remove a lot of ambient sound without changing its sonic attitude in the slightest also puts it ahead of several rivals.
Should I buy the Final Audio UX3000?
Buy them if...
Don't buy if...
Also consider
Not convinced by our Final Audio UX3000 test? We've selected three other pairs of over-the-ear headphones to consider:
First review: April 2022
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