If you don’t think the gaming market has impacted the high-end audio headphone space — you have clearly not been following some recent developments. Sony’s recent acquisition of Audeze was a huge endorsement of the brand’s technological achievements and its growing presence in the gaming headset category.
Gaming headsets represent 40% of Audeze’s sales. Beyerdynamic has also thrown its hat into the ring and we can now add Final Audio to a growing list of manufacturers that see the gaming market as a huge long-term opportunity.
Final has announced the VR2000 earphones which is their second product in the 3D audio gaming category behind the VR3000 ($79.99 at Amazon) which were designed for creators.
The VR2000 have a rather specific focus on virtual reality, autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and immersive audio — and the gaming experiences built around those specific technologies.
Most will be familiar with virtual reality and gaming but ASMR may be a new concept.
ASMR is a form of paresthesia that produces a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the neck and upper spine. Wikipedia defines it as “low-grade euphoria” characterized by “a combination of positive feelings and a distinct static-like tingling sensation on the skin.”
This can be triggered by certain auditory and visual stimuli making it a natural fit for gaming where making one “feel” that they are part of the action is key.
The VR2000 uses a shell very similar to the VR3000 and ZE3000 True Wireless Earphones, but unlike the ZE3000, these are wired IEMs, and the new VR2000 is available only in Olive Green.
The drivers are a newly developed 6mm f-Core DU dynamic driver designed specifically for immersive audio applications. The new driver has a redesigned diaphragm, voice coil, magnet circuit and even the glue has been rethought.
The front portion of the driver housing is made of brass which is less affected by magnetic forces and is stronger than aluminum. The voice coil uses a 30μ copper clad aluminum wire with minimal adhesive used to reduce weight of the moving mass as much as possible.
The result is a driver with a sensitivity of 102dB/mW and a nominal impedance of 18 ohms.
Cables are OFC copper with an inline 3-button control and microphone and even the shell uses a high strength ABS plastic to reduce weight and resonance. At only 20 grams, the VR2000 should prove to be one of the most comfortable and lightweight gaming earphones around.
Final Audio type ‘E’ tips come standard with the new VR2000 along with earhooks for additional support and a carry pouch for storage and transit.
The VR2000 is designed for gaming and VR but the same things that make it a great gaming IEM will also help listeners enjoy live recordings and spatial cues with greater detail and clarity.
The VR2000 were designed with Spatial Audio in mind so particular attention was paid to creating a natural soundstage presentation. Footfalls behind a listener should give auditory clues to both position and distance and proper presentation of those cues can be the difference in winning and losing in a competitive game.
Likewise, any delay in the audio can adversely impact a gamer’s experience. We would expect these to offer superior low latency performance so that gamers never find themselves one step behind the action.
The Final Audio VR2000 will be available soon for $69.99 at Amazon.com or £59 at Amazon.co.uk. We will have a full review in the next two weeks.
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