Final Audio TONALITE

FINAL Audio TONALITE

RRP: $329
TWS (my first TWS review actually…)

Introduction

Final Audio are a brand that I would say need no introduction in the community, they’ve been a staple for many for a number of years offering IEMs and headphones at various pricing segments and fair to say, some of which hold a legendary status – think the A series, E series and indeed the high-end D8000 headphones to name a few. I own a number of their sets to include the infamous E5000, the A5000 and A6000 with a few in between. The A6000 is one of my most listened to sets, especially since I purchased the Lotoo PAW Gold 10th Anniversary recently – if ever a DAP was made for single DDs, it is this wonderful player, and there is simply a magical synergy with DDs.

This review however looks at / listens to their latest TWS, TONALITE – a TWS that is completely unique in the market due to the feature that allows you configure the timbre to meet your ear anatomy – I’ll come back to that later of course. I already own the ZE8000, and while I enjoyed the tuning, I was not a fan of the style and fit – I felt a bit like someone in Star Trek when out walking!

Final offered me the opportunity to try out the TONALITE and I have very much enjoyed becoming familiar with them over the last few weeks – they’ve travelled around the world with me, so that has meant planes, trains and automobiles – plus a lot of walking in busy cities.

While I typically prefer wired IEMs, I do appreciate the convenience of TWS sets and have collected a few over the last couple of years – these include the Sony XM5, Technics AZ100, B&W Pi8 and aforementioned ZE8000.

I would like to thank Final Audio for the opportunity to review TONALITE, and I must say also they have been a pleasure to deal with – highly professional, courteous and quick to respond to any questions. It is great to see they now have a presence on Head-Fi and I can see that same professionalism in answering questions on the forum.

About Me

I worked in the consumer electronics industry for a large part of my career and have been passionate about music and technology for as long as I can remember. Even as a small child, I would ask my mum to put records on the turntable (Abba, Supertramp, and Planxty if anyone is curious).

My music preferences are very varied – anything from classical to techno, indie rock to jazz, and everything in between. In my early teens, I was a big fan of bands like The Cure and The Smiths (still am all these years later). I was bitten by the dance music bug in the early 90s, becoming passionate about genres like techno, house, trance, and IDM. I amassed a huge collection of records and CDs, DJing at various parties and occasional pirate radio station slots. Although it remained a hobby, I still own thousands of records, and my trusty Technics 1210 turntables are still going strong 30 years later.

I am not a professional reviewer, just an enthusiast who loves music and the devices we use to listen to it. Over the last few years, I have become obsessed with IEMs and related gear. I’ve bought and sold many, and kept a select few—ranging from the $20 Moondrop Chu to kilobuck sets like the Aroma Jewel, Oriolus’ infamous ‘Traillii,’ UM Mentor, and various beloved single DDs. Through this exploration, I like to share my thoughts with the Head-Fi community, hoping they might be useful to others. However, remember that this is a highly subjective hobby, and your mileage may vary.

While I’ve been fortunate to own and try a variety of the TOTL sets on the market, I honestly enjoy lower-priced sets as much – especially as the gap continues to close, many much cheaper sets now offering significant value and further driving diminishing returns.

I’ll admit I do suffer from happy ears… rarely do I find an IEM that I genuinely dislike. At this stage, there are very few truly “bad” IEMs; it almost always comes down to individual preference. Since I listen to such a wide variety of genres, I nearly always find synergy with some part of my library. Where my scores reflect deductions is in areas like value for money, poor accessories, or an uncomfortable fit – things that genuinely detract from the overall experience, rather than subjective tuning differences.

About FINAL Audio

final is a company that sells high-end audio earphones and headphones under its own brand final as well as conducting component technology development, product planning, design, planning, manufacturing and sales of other companies’ brands.
The company was established in 2007. It began as a subsidiary of the major American connector manufacturer Molex; in 2014, it went independent through an MBO by the current management team. Now is what you would call its second formation.

Since beginning sales of our own final brand earphones in 2009, our way of thinking regarding good sound quality and designs that differ to those of other major electronics manufacturers has garnered attention, and we have built our own unique place both in Japan and abroad.
In Europe in particular, our products are not only sold at high-end audio shops, but also at high-quality department stores and famous lifestyle shops such as Paris’ Colette, and our sales increase steadily every year.

Products such as earphones and headphones belong to a category known as current electrical appliances whose value is the greatest when they are brand new.
We, however, would like to create earphones and headphones that people have an affinity for and continue to use in much the same way they have with a mechanical wristwatch, the kind that will be valued as an antique in the future.
To that end, it is necessary to embody the design of the product and the way in which it is considered, including the repair system, as a concrete organization or structure.

We aspire to being an organization where people can work feeling that every aspect, including the creation of the company structure, is interesting

Specifications:

• Type: True Wireless In-Ear Headphones (TWS)
• Communication: Bluetooth® 6.0
• Supported Audio Codecs: LDAC, AAC, SBC
• Bluetooth Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
• ANC Chipset: Sony CXD3784 (Dedicated Noise Cancelling Processor)
• Microphones: High-performance MEMS microphones (for calls and ANC)
• Music Playback Time: Up to 9 hours (earphones), up to 27 hours (with charging case)
• Battery Capacity: 100 mAh (earphone) / 700 mAh (charging case)
• Water Resistance: IPX4 (Sweat and splash resistant)
• Case Charging: Wired (USB-C) and Wireless charging supported
• Case Features: Self-standing design, 180-degree opening lid, flame-retardant material

Unboxing

A pretty straightforward affair as is this case for any TWS I’ve had the pleasure of opening. We certainly don’t get the same extraordinary unboxing as what we get with IEMs in the TWS space – but of course TWS is a much more mass-market product.

Accessories

final TONALITE Earphones
Charging Case
FUSION-G Eartip Set (Sizes: S, M, L, LL)
Adjustment Rings (Sizes: S, M)
DTAS Calibration Kit (AR marker sticker, hair band – required for app scanning)
Dust Filters
User Manual (digital download)

Case

The case is relatively neat and slim enough to sit comfortably in my jeans pocket, likewise in a zipper in my backpack or jacket pocket. It has a bit of height to it in comparison to the AZ100 or Pi8 but still perfectly manageable.

It has a flat bottom which allows it stand up, something I would assume would be standard but weirdly in the case (pardon the pun) of the B&W, it has a curved bottom and as such more difficult to stand up!

The USB-c charging port is at the back of the case, and there are a series of 4 white lights on the right side of the case to indicate charging status (i.e. all are static when fully charged).

Design and Fit

The shells are a touch larger than others in my collection but they are very light and the ergonomic design allows them rest in my ears with incredible comfort. The included tips unfortunately are a touch too small for my ears, so I’ve had to switch to my trusty AET07 from Acoustune – I’m cursed with large ear canals unfortunately, and I suspect more so than most so this shouldn’t be an issue for the average ear canals out there. Once over the tip selection process, I can say these are one of the most comfortable TWS I’ve tried, they really do feel like you’ve nothing in your ears due to the weight and ergonomics. I am probably in the minority, but I would like a larger set of tips included – the largest are just a touch too small but I really like the material, and would prefer to use over 3rd party…

There is a matt finish that allows for good grip when inserting or extracting, and also means they look pristine and new all the time – they seem pretty resistant to scratches and that matt finish means no fingerprints that can ultimately rub off.

DTAS…

I mentioned in the opening segment that FINAL have done something unique with the TONALITE, and I’d like to talk about that now… and to note that I must admit I was a bit cynical as to how effective it might be, but I’m delighted to find I was wrong to doubt.

Final have developed a technology called ‘DTAS’ which is ‘Digital Twin Audio Simulation’ and essentially this is a feature that scans your anatomy so as to configure the tuning to match your personal physiology – this includes the shape of your head, ears, and apparently even your shoulders, all of which play a part in how you hear by way of sounds waves reaching your ears. Ultimately, the logic is that by adjusting to meet your personal anatomy, the resulting timbre will be more pleasing to eh, your ears…

The process is relatively straightforward but you do need to allow about 30-40 minutes. In addition, you need to ensure you are in a quiet room a large part of that.

Using the supplied headband and stickers, you essentially take some photos at various angles and then upload these back to Final for measurements. Following this, there are few tests where you insert one earphone in each ear, first with the tips on and then with them off – in both cases, there is a short audible tone while it runs its test.

As an aside, while I was taking the photos with the headband on, my wife came into the room and looked at me as if I was absolutely crazy, took a picture and left again I think my family had broadly got used to the peculiarities of this hobby, but taking photos with a headband on was certainly a new development! I won’t share that here however…

Finally, you then listen to some music which Final recommend as being music that is familiar to you and choose from one of three options in terms of which is most pleasing – the differences for each were obvious, but it took me a few goes to decide which I liked the most – for example, the 3rd option in one scenario sounded brighter, and as such more clarity, however when a higher pitch from a guitar kicked in, it was a touch too shrill so I ultimately chose the middle option, the first was a touch too smooth.

Once it was fully configured, I loaded up a playlist and went for a walk. I selected a variety of tracks that I felt would give me the best sense of the tuning changes and will run through these in the listening impressions shortly. If however you are impatient and wondering whether my initial cynicism was extinguished, I can tell you now it certainly was – absolutely exceeded expectations and worth the time investment to setup, to include the photo of me with the headband that my wife got great entertainment out of sharing with the wider family in our WhatsApp group!

Features

Bluetooth

As a very recent model, TONALITE leverages Bluetooth 6.0 and in my experience has been incredibly stable with connectivity to my Google Pixel 10 Pro and MS Surface Laptop – TONALITE can connect simultaneously to up to two devices and can easily switch between the two. The TONALITE as noted have travelled extensively with me over the last few weeks, my phone often tucked inside a jacket pocket or in my jeans and I’ve had no issues with connectivity.

Battery

I haven’t kept track to be honest to validate, but the specs note up to 9 hours on a single charge along with up to 27 hours in total via the charging case. I would say the longest session I might have before putting them back in the case might be in the region of 3 hours while on a flight – I can’t imagine ever having a scenario to actually test a full 9 hours!

Calls

I had many calls while using TONALITE and with no issues on hearing the person on the other end, and equally those on the other end of the line have had no problems hearing me.

Isolation/Noise Cancellation

First of all from an isolation perspective, as with any IEM or indeed TWS, the fit via chosen tips is crucial here for best results. When they first landed, I had been using the largest supplied tips and while they fit reasonably well, they were just a touch too small and this led to very noticeable wind noise when out walking. Once I switched to a larger tip, this issue was resolved.

Noise cancellation is excellent too, passes the test in my kitchen when listening to music with family around and I can’t hear them at all… sometimes a great thing when perhaps an argument erupting due to a child’s unfinished homework or lack of study etc – that’s when I at times get told to remove the earphones to participate! Likewise on a flight or moving through a busy city or airport, the noise cancelling is excellent and I can stay safely in my own world of music while rushing about the place, which has been quite a theme for me over the last few months…

Controls

I must say here first of all, and perhaps showing my age but I pretty much never use the touch controls on a TWS – once for this, twice for that, three for the other, and perhaps do a ballerina spin while pushing both for another! So with that in mind, I am not going to cover how FINAL has configured but from looking at the instructions, it is very similar others on the market – bar the ballerina spin which may not actually be required. To turn off noise cancelling to for example speak with someone, maybe boarding a flight or popping into a shop, I do the old school thing and just take one of my ears! – I feel this is more polite too, but again, that might be my age…

App

As per controls, I must admit to very rarely using apps with TWS – in this case I did have to so as to setup the previously discussed ‘DTAS’ which as per my conclusion, is an absolute must. Should you choose to use the app beyond that, it has a slick enough UI and very easy to navigate and control – for those that like to EQ, there is even a 10-band equalizer for you to toggle and volume step optimization – this latter feature I do need to configure as I often find the volume steps inadequate on my phone.

Listening Impressions

The first key element to mention is that the Final IEM DNA is clearly evident in TONALITE – that being a more ‘audiophile’ tuning that doesn’t seek to lean towards a safer and more standard v-shape broadly pleasing tuning that is often the case for TWS, to include sets I own and appreciate such as the AZ100 and Pi8. The tuning direction, and especially once you’ve gone through setting up DTAS, is much more about clarity, precision, timbre accuracy – neutral with a hint of warmth would be a reasonable statement, along with an organic sense in particular due to the timbre focus – I’ve been pretty blown away by how natural instruments and vocals can sound, without question the best I’ve heard with any TWS and the closest I’ve heard to a wired IEM. While a set such as the AZ100 provides perhaps a more exciting and energetic experience, the TONALITE instead leans reference with lets say a discerning musicality for those seeking a more ‘accurate’ audiophile experience – that sounds very snobby, but the best I can come up with so please excuse me!

The bass I would say is well controlled and nicely balanced, with again a natural sounding delivery – bass guitars sound utterly divine, with that ‘in the room’ sensation, really emphasised by the feeling of resonance on string plucks. Mid bass kicks with good impact and density, staying well short of ‘bass-head’ yet delivery with great satisfaction in terms of the quality… which for me is far more important than quantity.

The mids are smooth and perhaps ever so slightly forward, but I stress ‘ever so slightly’ – they don’t jump out, vocals are just sufficiently forward to emphasise rather than overpower, likewise instruments such as guitars or synths in this region. The level of clarity and space is very impressive, and again the best I’ve heard from any TWS. Note weight feels natural and not thin, nor too lush or heavy – a nice sweep spot for my preferences.

Treble is refined and non-fatiguing, and again emphasizes clarity and timbral accuracy over energy or excitement. I find this especially noticeable with percussion – I was listening while out walking just earlier today, and forgive me for now not remembering the track (I’ll blame age again!) but I had shivers go through me as there was a complex percussion passage, the hi-hats and cymbals had an uncanny sense of realism where I just felt ‘in the room’ to pardon the perhaps overused but fair description.

Track Analysis

Mark Hollis – The Daily Planet

Just to note first of all, I was very sad when the Talk Talk legend passed away in 2019 – while his passing had some media coverage, I don’t feel it fully recognised his musical genius – I guess due to his absence from music in recent years, but he certainly left his mark (pardon the pun) both as Talk Talk and indeed his solo album from which this track features. It can be easy to bandy about the word ‘genius’ as it pertains to an artist of some sort, but I believe it is a word that is truly applicable to Hollis.

This song is beautifully produced and is a wonderful example of the level of creativity from Hollis in his art. I chose this as there are a variety of instruments at play, and hitting all ends of the FR spectrum, with at times more complexity to give a set a potentially challenging test. Right off the bat, TONALITE sends those shivers through me – the double bass, the sax, the percussion, Mark’s voice… all just sound phenomenal – and again with that lifelike realism as though I’m sitting right at the performance of an intimate gig, middle front row. The clarity is spectacular – as the track unfolds, and instruments enter and exit, along with having solo focuses, I can’t help but think that if I wasn’t an absolute audio addict, that maybe life could be a touch simpler when it comes to music and just stick with my phone and TONALITE?! – we know that won’t happen, so moving on…

Nothing – Cannibal World

Switching to a more energetic number and also much more recent, only released in the last few days and the latest from indie band Nothing – while I’ve not yet listened to the full album, I’ve read some great impressions and looking forward to a full session in the coming days. Anyway, the energy here is evident, and I find again that TONALITE portrays in an accurate way, just a touch below what might be a point of harshness – which I would note as being true should you hear this play in a venue, as such we keep to a theme of accuracy rather than safety or mass-market tuning which is more often the case with TWS, for I guess logical/good reasons. Again the instrument distinction is absolutely pinpoint and while we do sit in the zone of almost being harsh, we don’t quite hit it, allowing both vocals and multiple instruments do what they are supposed to do for us to enjoy the entirety of the performance. This is a tough test track and happy to say TONALITE passes the test.

Autechre – Pen Expers

For those of you who know Autechre, and indeed know this track – you might be asking what the heck am I doing, surely we just ran a tough test? Is this fair?! Well, I felt we have just had indie rock complexity, so now lets for electronic complexity, and few others than Autechre, especially this era of Autechre to run that test. It actually passes more easily than the previous, even though the track is notoriously complex – but what we get is a almost fireworks showcase of the technical capabilities of TONALITE to handle this level of chaos… you can nearly feel your brain being directed towards the various elements as they swirl about all over the place – eventually being soothed by a once upon a time trademark emotive synth that accompanies that musical madness. Quite an experience to behold, and one that yet again underlines the capabilities of this set.

Leonard Cohen – You Want it Darker

Something far more easy on the ears after the masterful lunacy of Autechre! Mr Cohen always a great artist to test male vocals, and to get straight to it – his voice sounds absolutely wonderful, this late stage of his career where his vocal depth had got even deeper or indeed darker – the timbre is fantastic, you can hear that almost guttural sense of his voice with a central and slightly forward position – the weight sounds just right and to note my review theme, absolutely ‘lifelike’. I can say also that I heard the late great Mr Cohen perform twice in Dublin over the years before he passed away, and on both occasions was led to tears by the sheer beauty of his performance… sadly missed, and another musical legend.

Agnes Obel – The Curse

One that is often rolled out in reviews, be it mine or others – and for good reason – beautiful, ethereal voice, that is again shiver-inducing. Likewise spectacular instrument accompaniment that altogether leads to a truly breath-taking song. As per Mr Cohen, Agnes’s voice sounds almost eerily lifelike with again that central and slightly forward position. The instruments supporting with that sense of me sitting in a small venue performance, seeking to almost look for each artist on the imaginary stage in front of me – piano, bass, strings and Agnes herself.

Jamie xx – Gosh

Stepping back to electronic, and this time a safer choice versus Autechre, one aimed more at the dancefloor rather than the armchair. The clarity and overall precise distinction again immediately evident – everything feels well-spaced out, yet still cohesive as an overall track – sub rumbles below nicely, but some might seek more here from a set such as the Technics AZ100 – where TONALITE provides almost an inspection of the track to really delve into the instrumental nuances. A set like the Technics goes more again for a safer and traditional fun rendition.

Conclusion

I opened this review with the title ‘An audiophile TWS benchmark’ and I absolutely stand over that statement, perhaps even more after going through this review in a more analytical way rather than the casual enjoyment of the set over the last few weeks. While there is a bit of ‘heavy lift’ by way of the 40 minutes or so of setup, which in this fast-paced world might put some people off who would rather just ‘plug and play’ – I can assure you it is worth the time investment for those that seek a more accurate/audiophile tuning to what is otherwise on the market. The tuning coupled with the wonderful comfort without question position TONALITE at the very top of my TWS family, and certainly the set to beat when it comes to timbre accuracy. A massive congratulations to Final for this creation, and a big thank you to Kyo from @Final Audio – Kyo for providing this review unit.

That wraps up my very first TWS review – hope you enjoyed!