(credit: Final Audio Design) Piano Forte X-VIII series earphones | from ¥80,000.00 | www.final-audio-design-e.com
how expensive is considered really expensive for a gadget? perhaps, we make the judgement by justifying what goes into the gadget or the size of the gadget? here’s one series of earphones that is going blow your mind with its price tags but thankfully, probably pleasing to your ears. recently unveiled by Japan-based Final Audio Design, is the Piano Forte X-VIII series earphones that is said to deliver “a concert hall-like sound experience.” Final Audio Design achieved such feat via the use of a large diameter driver housed within a soundstage expanding metallic earpad housing.
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there are four pairs of earphones in the Piano Forte X-VIII range and all of them sport a large 16 millimeters neodymium magnet driver. the metal housing is said to prevent any unwanted vibrations that is usually the cause for distorted sound. tech and price aside (we will come to that in a jiffy), the Piano Forte X-VIII is little unusual as it does without silicon earpads. what you will get is pure metallic earpad that “allow inner ear to adjust to changes in air pressure as needed.” hmmm, i accept that argument, but wouldn’t that be uncomfortable?
all the four models sport the same internal but what set each model apart is the material and finish used on the earphones’ housing. apparently, the different material used result in its own distinctive audio reproduction. so what are the prices for these high end audiophile buds? well, the Piano Forte X-VIII with brass housing will set you back at ¥80,000 (about US$980), and the IX model in stainless steel housing cost ¥100,000 (about US$1,226) while the top ranging X model (X-G and X-CC included) commands a whopping ¥220,000 (about US$2,697). ouch.
