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The Final UX3000 launched a few days ago, and I have been using them for the past week. These are the first Bluetooth ANC headphones have produced, and they are surprisingly affordable too.
However, the market is becoming increasingly saturated with Bluetooth ANC headphones, so can Final do enough to stand out from the crowd?
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| final UX3000 Bluetooth Wireless Headphones - Hi-Fi Sound... |
£119.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Comparisons
After getting them free with my Pixel 6, I now use the Bose 700 headphones as my ANC benchmark. These have an RRP of £349.95, currently £290 on Amazon, but can regularly be had for about £200. They are classed as one of the best options on the market, with the Sony WH-1000XM4 being the main alternative.
I have also tested against the Anker Soundcore Life Q35.
Specification
- Driver: Dynamic
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 KHz
- Finish: Premium SHIBO coating – black
- Controls: Buttons / Volume, play/pause, ANC, power
- Bluetooth Version: 5.0
- Codec Support: AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX LL Codec Support
- Microphone: Built-in, Omnidirectional
- Music Playback Time: 25 hours with ANC ON / 35 hours with ANC OFF
- Charging Time: 2.5 hours
Design and Fit
I’d say the overall design and fit are the worst part of the Final UX3000. It’s not so much that they are bad, but they are packaged a bit cheaply, and the overall build is a bit plasticy.
As for fit, they are not bad, but I have large ears. They don’t sit on top of them, but I do notice that I get hot and sore ears faster than I do with other headphones, which have a more roomy earcups.
Beyond those minor grievances, they are an inoffensively designed pair of black headphones with a sensible button layout, USB-C charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Sound Quality
It will come as no surprise that a pair of Final headphones sound good.
I wouldn’t say these are neutral, but they have a much less aggressive bass accentuation than many ANC headphones I have used.
Similarly, the highs seem to roll off before they get too bright.
This overall sound profile works well for me, I am not overly keen on neutral, but I don’t want bass drowning out everything, and I find highs can quickly get painfully grating after wearing headphones for a short period of time.
Mids are perhaps a little recessed, but I didn’t experience too much of an issue with it.
Out of the box, sound quality is better than Soundcore Life Q35, which are a bit too bassy by default. It is harder to make an accurate comparison to my Bose 700 headphones, I’d say the Bose sound a bit better, the mids seem to have better separation and clarity, especially from the low end. I wouldn’t say the Bose headphones sound 2 to 3 times better as the price might suggest.
Active Noise Cancelling
My standard test is to listen to aeroplane cabin noise on my PC with the volume dialled all the way up. The Final UX3000 do a good job, they eliminate the majority of the annoying low end, leaving some of the high-end hiss.
I’d say the Soundcore Life Q35 perform a bit better, and the Bose 700 perform quite a bit better. This level of performance has become quite common recently. Many ANC headphones offer a good level of noise-cancelling nowadays, just not the flagship level you get from Sony/Bose.
In comparison, the Bose 700 remove pretty much all the high-end hiss but they leave slight sub-bass which I suspect is me more feeling it than hearing it. While I don’t notice this sub-bass on the Final UX3000 or Soundcore, I think that’s just because the high end overwhelms it.
For more complex noises, such as voice, there is a significant drop off on volume, but you can still tell someone is talking. I can also hear myself typing on my mechanical keyboard, but subjectively I’d say the clickety-clack is reduced by about 70%.
Considering these only cost £120, the performance is excellent, and I could quite happily use them on a plane in real life or in other noisy environments.
Battery
With a playtime of 25 hours with active noise cancellation switched on and 35 hours turned off, these have superb battery life. I haven’t timed them, but I used them for several days before I bothered to charge them. The official rating is higher than the Bose 700 and only slightly less than the Sony WH-1000XM4.
Price and Alternative Options
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| final UX3000 Bluetooth Wireless Headphones - Hi-Fi Sound... |
£119.00 | Buy on Amazon | |
| soundcore by Anker Q35 Multi Mode Active Noise Cancelling... |
£119.99 | Buy on Amazon | |
| Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 — Over Ear, Wireless... | £193.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Final has some incredibly expensive products, but these fall well into the affordable category at just £120, that’s both cheap for Final and cheap for ANC headphones in general.
The Final UX3000 are available on Amazon and HiFi Headphones
The Soundcore Life Q35 sell for £130 but have been as low as £90. The ANC may be a bit better, but they are very bass-heavy, and you may need to spend quite a bit of time tweaking the EQ if you want something more natural.
The Bose 700 are £200-£300, ANC is significantly better. I wouldn’t say the sound quality is significantly better, they have a different sound profile, but it is hard to put my find on
In other recent ANC headphone reviews, the Cleer Enduro ANC sounded great, but the ANC wasn’t amazing. The Cleer Flow II sounded great and also had excellent ANC, but they were priced quite a bit higher at £200.
Overall
For £120, these are a superb pair of ANC headphones. The active noise cancellation performance matches many other good ANC headphones in the £100-200 price point, and the overall sound quality is excellent too.
Minor issues were that they feel a bit plasticy, and they are not quite as comfortable as some other headphones, but I have very large ears.
Final UX3000 Review Rating
Summary
The Final UX3000 are a superb pair of budget Bluetooth ANC headphones. Sound quality is excellent with a slight bass emphasis and the ANC performance is compatible with other good ANC headphones in the price region.
Overall
85%-
Overall - 85%85%
Pros
- Excellent sound quality
- Comparable ANC performance with other excellent sub-£150 headphones
- Attractive pricing
Cons
- Plastic build quality
- Slightly uncomfortable wearing for a long time with my big ears
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-10-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
