Final Audio E500 Review: a budget IEM with surprisingly good sound

The Final Audio E500 was a pleasant surprise, as it demonstrated that the Japanese manufacturer is capable of developing extremely consistent in-ear monitors in terms of sound quality at a very low price. After three weeks of daily use, I can say that the combination of comfort and sound quality offered by the E500 represents an excellent value for the price charged. Below, I describe my experience with this Final model.

Build Quality of the Final Audio E500

The construction of the Final Audio E500 conveys a sense of simplicity and elegance. Although the E500’s housing is made of plastic, the material clearly appears to be of good quality.

The unit I selected is black, and I initially had some difficulty identifying the left and right sides, as everything is painted in the same color and the embossed markings are not particularly helpful.

Fortunately, it is possible to distinguish the channels by observing the color of the inner portion of the ear tips, as Final Audio differentiates the sides through color coding.

When analyzing the E500’s cable, some users may dislike the fact that it is fixed, that is, soldered directly to the driver. This prevents cable replacement in the event of connection issues in the future.

Regarding the cable sheath material, I found it very flexible, although simple in construction. It reminded me of the cables used in flathead earbuds sold decades ago. At the very least, the cable appeared thicker than that of my old Philips flathead earbud.

The E500 features a 3.5 mm L-shaped plug, which may appeal to some users while not to others. Personally, I found it to be a positive design choice.

The only aspect of the construction that I did not appreciate was the transmission of mechanical noise when the cable rubbed against clothing while walking. This characteristic bothered me considerably and interfered with music listening, leading me to prefer using the E500 while seated most of the time.

To minimize cable noise, the cable can be worn over the ear, as the E500’s cylindrical shape allows for this wearing style.

Comfort of the Final Audio E500

For my ears, the Final Audio E500 provided a very comfortable fit. Its small housing combined with the soft “Final Type-E” ear tips results in secure positioning.

I believe that, due to the compact size of the E500’s body, it will be comfortable for the vast majority of users, including those with small ears and narrow ear canals. Additionally, its cylindrical shape offers little resistance during insertion.

Sound Performance of the Final Audio E500

The Final Audio E500 presents a sound signature focused on mids and treble, while still maintaining audible bass presence. Overall, its tuning favors vocals, string instruments, and cymbals. Everything I listened to on this Japanese manufacturer’s earphone sounded clear, with an excellent level of clarity, although some performance limitations are expected for an in-ear monitor at this price point.

The first thing I tell everyone is: do not be misled by its size. Models from Final Audio’s “E” series are often surprising due to their expansive presentation. I noticed this with the E5000, and the same impression remained with models such as the E3000 and E1000. Despite its very low cost, the E500 also exhibits this characteristic.

When properly fitted, the E500 delivers impressive perceived sound extension. The midrange conveys a strong sense of spaciousness without losing dynamics, sounding full and engaging. In my opinion, the timbre demonstrates a good level of naturalness, particularly in the reproduction of string instruments.

The treble can occasionally sound somewhat thin, but it remains well present and contributes to overall clarity. At times, I perceived less extension compared to the E3000 and E5000, although both of those models sound darker than the E500.

The bass is present and integrates well with the rest of the frequency spectrum but may sound somewhat restrained on the E500. Do not expect a strong emphasis in the lowest frequencies. For this reason, I would not recommend this model to bass enthusiasts (“bassheads”).

In terms of soundstage, the E500 still delivers an intimate presentation, although it sounds larger than its physical size would suggest. This in-ear monitor is well suited for listeners seeking comfort and an easy-to-listen presentation, even during long listening sessions.

Sound Comparison: Final Audio E500 vs. E3000

The Final Audio E3000 has a darker sound signature compared to the E500. This is due to greater bass activity, resulting in less bright treble and more recessed mids. However, treble control and extension on the E3000 are superior to those of the E500, demonstrating better tonal balance [1]. As a result, the E3000 delivers more suitable performance across a wider range of musical genres.

[1] Tonal balance refers to the distribution between bass, midrange, and treble frequencies.

Conclusion

The Final Audio E500 delivers an easy-to-enjoy sound signature, costs only US$10, and is extremely comfortable. Its only notable drawback is the fixed cable, which also generates mechanical noise when rubbing against clothing. After routing the cable over my ears, I noticed less cable noise, although it can still become noticeable when listening to quieter music while walking.

Overall, the E500 is an earphone that I consider worthwhile to try in order to experience its performance firsthand. Its simplicity, comfort, and sound quality won me over, even though the cable quality is not among the best.