Final Audio – B2 – Balanced Armature In-Ear Headphones

Final Audio – B2 – Balanced Armature In-Ear Headphones

Sound design has been undertaken with consideration to the relationship between the spatial impression and dynamic range of music, and the physical characteristics of earphones and headphones. Through research into the relationship between spaciousness, clarity and dynamic range of musical recordings, and the physical characteristics of earphones and headphones, Final Audio has learned that deeper enjoyment of music can be achieved through the target curves and driver design well suited to the sound design of music recordings.

The B2 is a model particularly well suited to rich spatial recordings. It is well suited to classical music recordings that take adequate advantage of the reflections and reverberation of a concert hall as well as live recordings to reproduce the feeling of “being there”. Moreover, the B2 employs an MMCX connector that makes it possible to switch cables in the event of a severed connection.

One way of thinking regards the distance perception. Classical and jazz recordings are thought to be performed with emphasis on aspects of spaciousness, such as sense of distance, broadness and reverberation. On the other hand, rock, pops and many of the recent animation soundtrack recordings, spaciousness is not as highly emphasized. There is thought to be greater emphasis on clarity, which brings the various instruments and vocals to the front.

Another approach is dynamic range – in other words, changes in loudness over time. If the dynamic range is wide, naturally it is possible to use the change in loudness over time to achieve a more dynamic expression of music. But, there are some types of music for which narrower dynamic range recordings are preferable to allow each of the instruments and vocals to ordinarily appear before the listener’s eyes.

The difference between these two ways of thinking pertains not to which is superior but rather differences in how music is composed and what is demanded of it. With regard to classical music, and that played by orchestra in particular, the spatial orientation of instruments is particularly important. Stringed instruments are positioned nearest to the audience with wind and percussion placed behind them. Should the balance between the spatial orientation and volume of each group of instruments collapse, the music would disintegrate. For that reason, uniform clarity of sound that allows each instrument to appear before the eyes of the listener is not demanded of this type of music. Even for classical music, a string quartet, for example, would have a narrow dynamic range and the clarity of each instrument would be more prominent. For rock and pops on the other hand, spaciousness is not as necessary as for classical music, and so there is greater emphasis on clarity than spaciousness.

Superior feeling of fit of an earphone is determined by the presence or lack of a feeling of pressure. There are products on the market with an ergonomically praised organically curved surface that should be suitable for placement somewhere in the ear, but because the holding positions for those shapes place pressure on the ear, fatigue accumulates over time.

Much the same as a tripod, a stable fit can be secured for any chassis with 3 holding positions.If there is no sense of pressure, the fit of the earphone will be felt to be that much more comfortable, and in this way, it achieves the superior fit of a seemingly customized earphone.

MMCX Connector＆Original OFC cable
The MMCX connector was developed in-company. Taking touch noise into consideration, soft, flexible coated material has been employed. When using ear hooks also, it moves flexibly, making for a good fit.

Original earpieces with a color difference between the left and right bushes.
One of the bushes is gray, while the other is red; by pulling the earpiece back slightly to check the color of the bush, it is easy to distinguish between left and right, even in places with subdued lighting. Since the bush colors of neighboring sizes are different (the gray bushes alternate between dark and light gray; the red bushes alternate between red and pink), it is also easy to distinguish between sizes.

FEATURES:

• Long-Life, repairable construction
• Metal Injection Molding (MIM) stainless steel housing
• Balanced Armature driver
• MMCX Connector & Original OFC cable
• Ear hooks that alleviate cable touch noise
• Silicone carry case