Final ZE 3000 SV TWS with ANC Review

STEREO GUIDE verdict

91%

91%

A monitor-style, natural-sounding, very comfortable, and hassle-free true wireless earbud with relatively subtle ANC and few features at an affordable price.

Pros

1. Highly detailed, natural sound
2. excellent image
3. very comfortable and durable
4. Subtle, unobtrusive ANC

Cons

1. could have more deep bass punch and impact
2. The ANC is not particularly efficient
3. No AptX codecs

• Tonal balance/ transparency

  9.5
• Bass / Dynamics

  8.7
• Usability / Connectivity

  8.5
• Price / Performance

  9.7

The Final ZE3000 was one of the TWS earbuds that went against the grain: no noise cancellation, few features, an angular design, and sound without any gimmicks—as audiophile-grade and natural as possible. That, combined with outstanding long-term comfort, made it one of the editorial team’s favorites in the earbud category.

The ZE3000 SV is now set to take its place as the successor, and in terms of features and design, it’s clearly moving closer to the mainstream: It features active noise cancellation that offers multiple modes via an app. The price is even lower than that of the ZE 3000, but the manufacturer promises a similarly audiophile-grade sound tuning.

So we’re excited to see how they perform. The first thing you notice when taking them out of the box is that the earbuds—available in black or white—have become significantly smaller, even lighter, and more ergonomic. In terms of the texture of the finish, you have to accept a slight compromise compared to the high-end quality of the predecessor; the plastic now feels a bit more matte and more typical of this price range. The case has also gotten smaller, making it one of the most practical on the market. Nevertheless, the battery life—7 hours with noise cancellation enabled and 28 hours with the case—is on par with the previous model. The same goes for the IPX4 water resistance rating.

Ergonomics and Hi-Fi Technology

With Bluetooth 5.3 and the high-quality AAC and LDAC codecs at 96/24 H-Res, even discerning listeners should be satisfied. Unfortunately, the aptX family of codecs is missing, so only owners of smart devices that support either high-bitrate AAC or LDAC (such as those from Apple and Sony; for other Android models, you should check this beforehand) can enjoy the best sound quality.

Despite the changed enclosure design, the hardware’s hi-fi qualities are said to remain unchanged: Final proudly highlights its very large, in-house-developed driver capsules, which measure 10 millimeters. A special pressure-equalization system in the rear chamber—which the manufacturer calls the “f-Link Port” and which uses two special air vents per driver capsule—is also said to contribute to the audiophile-grade sound quality.

App with a great 7-band equalizer

With many apps from major electronics manufacturers, we’ve come to feel that they’re a bit overloaded with features. The Final Connect app is the exact opposite: It lets you select the noise-canceling mode, activate the gaming feature, and adjust the equalizer—and that’s it. The gaming mode is self-explanatory, as it reduces latency by lowering the data rate used for audio transmission.

There are some interesting options for noise cancellation: it has a general on/off button, and when NC mode is active, you can choose between normal, even reduction across all frequencies and a special wind-cut mode. The “BGM” abbreviation stands for the transparency mode for announcements.

The second unique feature of the Final App is the equalizer. It is a 7-band graphic EQ with non-standard midrange frequencies. In practice, this requires a bit more practice and listening experience, but the adjustments to the sound are much more precise and target exactly the right bands to make specific tonal corrections—such as a slight reduction in brilliance (4K), boosting the deep bass (62 Hz), and a slight emphasis on the mids. Exemplary!

We do have a bit of criticism regarding the touch controls: while we appreciate the effort to control as many functions as possible using just two touch areas—from activating the voice assistant to Wind-Cut mode to rejecting phone calls—

However, the earbuds didn’t always recognize commands right away, and with long presses, double, triple, and even quintuple (!) taps, many functions are so complex and nested within one another that you can’t always activate them intuitively and often end up missing the mark. Consequently, the somewhat unreliable controls—combined with a rather limited range of app features and noise cancellation that tends to be subtle—were the main reasons for a slightly lower rating in “Practical Use & Connectivity.” —but for those who don’t care about any of that, the ZE3000SV will, on the contrary, provide complete satisfaction in everyday use.

Proper fit, many adapters

In real-world testing and in terms of comfort, its predecessor, the Final ZE3000, had set the bar high, and aside from a few minor quirks in operation, the ZE 3000 SV also delivered on all fronts. After a little practice with the correct, screw-like counterclockwise twist when inserting them, the excellent fit in the ear is impressive, with absolutely no feeling of pressure. Thanks to the five included silicone adapters—all of which fit softly in the ear canal and come in extra-small sizes—even children or people with smaller ears can achieve optimal results. That is, if they’re willing to invest a little time in finding the perfect adapter.

We also really liked the acoustic isolation and active noise cancellation. When we turned on ANC mode, we noticed that the difference was rather subtle with normal background noise. The ZE3000SV doesn’t completely block out low-frequency noise, such as at intersections or on an airplane, but it does so in a very natural and subtle way, so even those who are wary of ANC or who find excessive isolation or a feeling of pressure on their ears uncomfortable can use this mode without hesitation.

In quiet surroundings, there was a slight background noise, which we found to be natural, however. In Wind-Cut mode, this noise disappears, ensuring nearly noise-free operation outdoors and preventing the external microphones from overreacting in strong winds—a feature we found exemplary.

Unfortunately, the tone of the ZE 3000 SV changes noticeably when the ANC is turned on and off, so you should decide on a single operating mode by the end of the day.

This is what the Final ZE3000 SV sounds like

The sonic resemblance to the ZE3000 was faintly discernible, as the ZE 3000SV featured a similar, rather understated bass response and similarly superb qualities in terms of resolution and transparency. Tonally, however, it leaned toward the lean, detail-oriented side, yet clearly distinguished itself from the warm homogeneity of its predecessor.

Voices sounded slightly thinner in the default setting, but the ZE 3000 SV scored points with truly audiophile-level detail resolution and a precise yet never intrusive brilliance. However, to truly enjoy its monitor-like qualities, the source material should be of correspondingly high quality—which is only possible with AAC transmission at high bitrates (or, even better, LDAC). The Final quickly reveals the limitations of the standard SBC codec, resulting in a jarring and harsh sound in the high frequencies.

In addition to transparency, the sense of space is also very impressive: concert halls in classical and jazz recordings sound surprisingly spacious, and the reverberation feels more realistic than on many other TWS models. However, the Final holds back somewhat when it comes to proximity to the listener and sharp transients; everything tends to remain distant and refined. This also applies to the bass, which sounds beautifully natural, crisp, and seamlessly integrated in rock, jazz, and classical music, but lacks depth and impact in techno and hip-hop.

A special advantage

A particular highlight of the Final was its versatility across musical genres: its natural, high-resolution sound signature revealed no inherent weaknesses in any of the musical styles we tested. On the contrary, we actually had the consistent impression that it was “tailor-made” for whatever track was playing at the time, which speaks to its particularly meticulous tonal tuning. At most, when attempting to achieve very high volume levels or to extract heavy hip-hop or electronic bass from the Final ZE3000SV, we reached the system’s limits and found that headphones specifically tuned for that purpose can deliver even more enjoyment, peak volume, and explosive dynamics.

With the app’s excellent equalizer, you can still do quite a bit—especially emulate the warmer tone of its predecessor. With a little boost to the lowest band, the bass can also develop surprising depth, though it never quite achieves the dominant punch and harshness that impulse response enthusiasts expect.

Test Conclusion and Alternatives to the Final ZE3000 SV

In the 120-euro price range, the Final faces some pretty stiff competition: the Sennheiser Plus CX True Wireless and the Cambridge A100 both offer significantly more features. The latter would be our clear recommendation if you’re looking for a more dynamic, deep-bass-heavy, and immersive listening experience—but it doesn’t sit securely in the ear canal for everyone and can cause a feeling of pressure after a few hours. The Final ZE3000 SV remains comfortable even after hours of use and offers a sound signature that leans toward a monitor-like, neutral sound. This puts it quite close to the Sennheiser in terms of sound, but it outperforms it with better midrange transparency, a superior equalizer, greater comfort, and a comfortable fit during extended use.

Technical Specifications for the Final ZE3000 SV

• Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 120 Euro
• Type: In-Ear
• Transducer principle: Dynamic
• Weight: 4 g
• Special Features: IPX4 splash resistance, ANC with wind mode, app control, 28-hour battery life with case
• More at: https://www.audiotra.de/

• Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review – great sound for little money
• Final B-3 review