Review: Final Audio B Series

Comparisons – B1

vs. Kinera ODIN – 800 $

The Final gives a richer and more complete bass than the Odin, but Odin is such a great performer in mids, giving great tonality and sweet timbre across the mid range. The B1 is no slouch in mids either, but the Odin edges out with its timbre. The B1 is better in overall resolution, but the Odin has a more 3D sound-stage performance.

They’re both designed exceptionally well with different flavors so it’s all personal taste for that matter. Fit-wise the B1 is much smaller and low profile but despite its size, the Odin fits very well too. I would choose the Odin though, because of its better cohesiveness and balance. The B1 has a coherency problem as I mentioned in the previous pages.

vs. Moondrop A8 – 670 $

Moondrop’s 8 driver monitor is a very good performer for mids and treble, yet the B1 has the edge over bass quality. It also to me is equal to the A8 in mid range. The A8 gives slightly better and articulated treble response. In terms of resolution it also has a small edge. When it comes to sound-stage, the A8 certainly impresses like I remarked in its own review. Now the B1 is absolutely not bad in terms of staging, but the A8 is something else for width.

Final Audio B Series

A8 fits very well like a custom IEM in a universal form. But the Final offering is quite eye-catching with a more impressive design than the rather straightforward A8.

vs. Oriolus Mk 2 / Reborn – 850 $

One of the all time greatest IEMs, the MK2 is still not easy to beat, and in this case it hold its ground once again. These two IEMs both utilize great dynamic drivers which helps to get a great slam, kick, extension, rumble and texture all around. The Oriolus gives livelier and more transparent mids, and slightly better treble because of the thinness problem in the B1.

Oriolus is the more cohesive IEM for good measure, but I think the B1 gives a better timbre with instruments. The Mk2 is a bit too colored in that department sometimes. However it’s more balanced and controlled than the B1, and it has an even wider and deeper sound-stage. Therefore its like I said, the Oriolus holds its ground against its fellow.

Conclusion

The New Final Audio B Series has style, uniqueness and great build quality. These areas are nothing short of impressive with these three IEMs, but especially for B1 and B3. They fit great and they’re very comfortable too. So in terms of practicality and usage topics, they ticked a lot of boxes for me.

In terms of sound, the B2 didn’t reach my expectations. There’s not enough resolution to me, and too much treble roll off. I realized it sounds like some bookshelf speakers to some degree, which can attract the lovers of that kind of a sound signature.

Final Audio B Series

The B3 in my opinion is the best value and the best IEM among the three. It stays loyal to technical guidelines and presents a very honest sound which impressed me from start to finish. It’s very coherent in its own flat presentation, with a great sound-stage and imaging performance. So I only put the B3 model from this lineup to our Best Universal IEMs List for its truthful sound and value.

The B1 is the most suitable IEM for me in this lineup, but due to a few reasons I couldn’t justify its price tag against the B3. It surely has the better bass response and instrument timbre, but its somewhat thin and light treble presentation forms an inconsistent sound overall. I liked it pretty much, but I can’t deny the tuning success of the B3 model, which offers a much better value.

I would like to thank Final Audio for sending out their full lineup for me to review.