The Prestige Model of the Sonorous Series, the Final Audio Design Sonorous X Headphones Eliminate Compromise!
The Sonorous X:
Final Audio Design thinks you will be surprised not only by the clarity and vividness, but also by the sense of realism imbued in the sound produced by the Sonorous X Headphones, something that hasn't been experienced in headphones until now. The 50 mm diameter driver unit with titanium diaphragm is integrated with the front plate and has been machined from pure aluminum. The principal parts are composed of machined aluminum and stainless steel. It was necessary to create the housing from a rigid metal so as to achieve the sense of realism. This is a resolute prestige model, the zenith of the Sonorous series.
A BAM (Balancing Air Movement) mechanism that delivers bass tones and deep, three-dimensional spatial reproduction:
A BAM (Balancing Air Movement) mechanism developed for balanced armature drivers has been employed with a dynamic driver. With BAM, the idea is to optimize the pressure balance between the front and back of the diaphragm. To thoroughly follow through with this idea, Sonorous X is sealed so that no air leaks from inside the housing.
What is a BAM mechanism?
Final Audio Design has decided to focus on developing technology for the reproduction of bass tones and three-dimensional space with the full-range reproduction of a theoretically unproblematic single driver unit, rather than taking things in a multiway direction. Final Audio went back to the beginning and reviewed the performance of the balanced armature driver, focusing their attention on something previously overlooked, airflow inside the housing. Final Audio Design developed BAM (Balancing Air Movement), a mechanism that optimizes airflow inside the housing through the creation of an aperture in the driver unit, which is usually sealed. While achieving bass tones and deep, three-dimensional spatial representation, which proved difficult with single driver full-range reproduction, they achieved a BA type that at the same time made for natural listening the user doesn't tire of.
Integrated machined aluminum front plate and housing + titanium diaphragm driver unit:
Usually, the driver unit housing is made of ABS. The driver unit is produced independently, and is attached to the front plate, which is made of the same ABS. The section where the two are attached along with the ABS resin flex and resonate with the amplitude of the driver unit. With Sonorous X, machining the driver unit and the front plate as an integrated unit from the same piece of aluminum magnesium alloy made it possible to reduce the instabilities that adversely affected sound quality such as resonance and deflection, as well as those arising due to the fit of the adhesive. Doing so resulted in the actualization of crystal clear sound.
Having tested a variety of materials for the diaphragm, Final Audio Design employed titanium, which emits a well-balanced sound over a wide bandwidth. To accurately assemble the titanium diaphragm, they developed specialty jigs and assembly equipment.
Machined aluminum housing:
Final Audio Design employed a housing machined from a piece of aluminum magnesium alloy. As with high-end speakers, it contributes to the kind of clear sound that is emitted only from packed solid housings. Layering it over a stainless steel housing whose resonance point differs means that resonance is suppressed without using soft damping materials that dull sound such as rubber.
Ear pads with a comfortable fit and optimal "suppleness":
Ear pads play a very important role in sound quality. One of these roles relates to the matter of fitting. When there is space between the ear and the ear pad, low-level acoustic pressure changes considerably and has significant influence on sound quality. Because of this, the choice of both ear pads and the sponge material inside them is important. Another aspect is that they are a component that changes greatly over time; with this aging, the sound from the headphones changes in a favorable direction as they are used, and changes in the shape of the ear pad are also a large contributing factor. The ear pad molding itself to the shape of the ear is a positive change, but any excessive change after this may mean a diversion from favorable sound.
With this, trial listening and comfortable contact with the ear in mind, and with the same amount of stretch both vertically and horizontally, synthetic leather, which changes just the right amount with time, has been employed.
Detachable cable with locking mechanism:
For the connector on the headphones, a 3.5mm diameter gold-plated monaural plug has been employed. By employing a connector with a lengthy track record, trouble with loose connections has been avoided. The cable has a 90-degree rotary locking mechanism. 1.5m and 3m cables are included.
Machined stainless steel housing:
In combination with the machined aluminum housing is the machined stainless steel housing that reduces unnecessary vibrations. To demonstrate maximum results, it is necessary that both are machined with the utmost accuracy, and as such, the stainless steel has also been machined. The surface is finished with the tool marks from the machining process left as is. They are machined domestically at a leading specialty machining factory. Taking sufficient time and using extremely finely edged tools, this careful manufacturing is teeming with the knowhow of Japanese craftspeople.
Sound quality reviews:
The meticulousness of each and every sound and a wide dynamic range is characteristic of this product. With classical music, it is possible to express even the smallest sounds of each part of large compositions. The multitude of overlapping sonorous tones in a vast sound field epitomizes Sonorous X. Headphones truly worthy of the prestige moniker. Try these out for yourself.
"OUTSTANDING amongst the best! Smooth and refined in both looks and sound. For those who like a rich, sumptuous sound." - Hi-Fi World Magazine UK, February 2016
"The costliest headphones I've yet reviewed by quite a margin, Final's Sonorous X also were the best in many ways. Whilst one pays for it in coin and weight, build quality was truly superlative. Sonic payback was vigorously dynamic behaviour of mighty punch, colour pop and exciting vitality. Extreme efficiency for a full-size headphone... Though its flashy appearance suggests overpriced bling aimed at a Dubai luxury mall, an actual audition with properly elevated ancillaries reveals that the Sonorous X is instead a most thoroughly through-engineered seriously optimized affair where a design team threw all caution to the wind to go for fully broke. From what I've heard and seen, this makes Final of Japan one of the most ambitious and resourceful firms who are currently working the upscale high-performance headphone sector. Colour me unexpectedly impressed, nay blown away!" - Srajan Ebaen, 6moons.com, December 2015
Specifications:
Housing: Stainless Steel/Aluminum
Driver: 50mm dynamic
Sensitivity: 105dB
Impedance: 16 Ohms
Weight: 630g
Cord length: 1.5m
Included: Detachable cable with locking mechanism (3m / 1.5m), Stainless steel warranty card with serial number and license key
Warranty: 2 Years
