I just tested these audiophile headphones that cost as much as my first car — and they sound like heaven

When I write about headphones, you’ll often see me wax lyrical about how they can compare to cars. There are those that don’t cost much, but they’ll reliably play your tunes when you need them to and do it fairly competently. Those are the equivalent of your common or garden Honda Accords or Toyota Camrys, econoboxes that get the job done for a reasonable price.

Then there are the desirable but attainable options, like the WH-1000XM5. They cost a bit more, but you get great features an excellent sound in a very tempting package for a bit more financial outlay. Those are your Mercs and BMWs.

Following from those there are the luxury options that cost a lot more, but give you a comfortable, great-sounding experience with a price to match. The AirPods Max and other, more expensive options that are akin to a Rolls Royce or a Bentley. Then there are the out-and-out performance models, which forgo certain more luxury features — the Meze 105 AER, or the Noble FoKus Apollo.

But then there’s the last sector — the one that most people are never going to experience. The ones that cost thousands of dollars and give you the best sound that you’ll find without heading into the studio with your favorite artists. That’s where these fall into place, the D8000 DC, and they’re like the pure, thoroughbred race cars of the headphone world. And I’m here to find just what nearly $4,000 worth of headphones can get you, and whether they’re some of the best audiophile headphones.

Lucky Me.

D8000 DC review review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? Incredible sounding audiophile headphones that cost a whole lot of money
• Who is it for? Audiophiles. And people with lots of money
• What does it cost? $4,299/£3,999/AU$7,199
• What we like: Their sound, the way that they feel on your head
• What we don’t like: The price — having them around the house has been stressful

Final D8000 DC review: Price and Availability

There’s only going to be one thing on your mind when you look at headphones like the Final D8000 DC — and that’s their extremely lofty price tag. There’s no getting around it, they are unbelievably expensive headphones, their $4,299 price tag putting them out of reach of all but the most dedicated and deep-pocketed audio fanatics.

But here’s the thing. They’re also some of the most accessible expensive audiophile headphones in that they’re relatively easily run through the headphone jack of your MacBook Pro or, with a dongle, your mobile phone. They don’t need as much power to run as some of the other audiophile headphones you can buy, and that opens them up to a greater range of users. You don’t need an extra headphone amp to run them, and while using an amp or a powerful DAC with them will open them up to their full potential, you’ll still get a mind-blowing audio experience.

Final D8000 DC review: Design and Build

• Simple industrial design
• Comfortable fit
• Solid carry case that scratches a little too easily

For $4,000, you’d hope that they were built extremely well — and you’ll be happy to learn that they are. They’re not a particularly complicated design, but it feels like they’ll survive a nuclear bomb. Not that I want to test that theory out, given that it’s my paycheck on the line if they get damaged.

They come delivered in a hard briefcase, and it’s a wonderful way to experience something super luxury. It’s filled with dense, protective foam, and even has keys and locks so that you can lock them away from roving fingers that might want to relieve you of your headphones. It’s a lovely addition, and goes a long way in making them feel worth that four grand.

There is just one issue with this part of the package — I’ve treated the headphones (and by extension their case) with kid gloves, and yet still, there are white marks on the black surface of the case. First off: Sorry Final, I promise I’ve been well-behaved. Second off: It does take some of the luster of what is a wonderful, heavy-duty way of protecting your expensive headphones.

Once you’ve pulled the headphones from their foam prison, your treated to some of the most comfortable wired headphones I’ve had the pleasure of using. Their earcup padding is firm, but supple enough that it forms well to the shape of your head. They’re not the lightest headphones in the world at 15.2oz, but the perfect clamping force and excellent foam padding make for a pair of headphones that you can wear for very, very long periods of time.

Final D8000 DC review: Features

• Detachable cable
• Several cable options
• Open back

If you’re expecting features akin to the best wireless headphones, you’re out of luck. You plug these in, play your music, and bask in sonic bliss. That’s the idea. No ANC, no battery life concerns, just audio performance that can (and will) make some people cry. There are a few things of note in the box, however, and the first one are the two cables that you get. The first is a 4.4mm balanced cable, which separates the audio into the left and right channels to keep interference to a minimum. If you’re looking for the cable to use with your MacBook or iPhone, this is the one — although you’ll need a 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter for it to work. The second cable is the XLR balanced cable, and that one is for dedicated headphone amps that can supply more power than your normal devices.

You connect those cables with locking connectors, and they work very well. They’re chunky cables, but they’re supple and complaint, so they don’t get in the way while you’re listening to your music.

It’s worth noting that these are open-back headphones, and that does bring with it some caveats. Your sound will leak out more than with closed-back headphones like the best noise-canceling headphones. In exchange, you get a wider, more spacious soundstage with greater instrument separation and more immersion. It has to be heard to be believed, and it’s one of my favorite kinds of headphone builds.

Final D8000 DC review: Sound Quality

• Focussed, tight bass
• Excellent resolution in the highs
• Unbelievably spacious soundstage

At this price it’s not about whether the headphones sound good, but rather whether or not you like the sound they reproduce. I think many are going to like the warmer signature of the Final D8000 DC, and especially enjoy their impressive spaciousness. It goes without saying that they sound better than every single pair of wireless headphones you can buy today — but then you’d hope so, given their price.

To get an idea of what they might sound like for the everyman, I’ve tested them with readily available headphone gear. That’s my iFi hipDAC which features a balanced 4.4mm connector and a built-in headphone amp. To get a slightly better idea what happens if you push them a little more I’ve also tested them with my Fiio M15s digital audio player, which has even more power to drive the headphones and an even more powerful DAC. That’s with Tidal and Qobuz’s top quality streams, and my high quality FLAC collection.

The first thing you’ll pick up is the depth of the bass. These are Planar Magnetic headphones, which means they’re able to give tighter response across the frequency range. Not only is the bass incredibly deep, but also tight and controlled. The highs are fast, and resolve extremely well. There’s little to no roll-off at the top, and the mids have plenty of definition. If you’ve not experienced expensive headphones before, it’s remarkable. You’ll hear things in your music you’ve never experienced before, and gain a new appreciation for the musicians at the core.

The smooth, fretless bass opening of Obscura’s Foresaken lulls you into a false sense of security, each note precise and clear. It transitions perfectly into the distorted tech-death fury, the bass still effortlessly defined amongst the rest of the ensemble. There’s incredible impact to the kick drums, and the slightly warmer tone of the headphones lends itself to the genre well. The vocal line is easy to pick apart word by word, and the screaming guitar solo soars above the rest of the track. There are little details you’d miss on lesser hardware as well, from the bobbing bass guitar to the movement of the drummer. It’s epic.

For something more cinematic, we’re hitting up Hans Zimmer and the "Dune 2" soundtrack — It’s Worm Ride. The sand-like tinkling that pervades the opening is effervescent and delicate, but clear and bright. The bongo that kicks things off is impactful, the vocal line haunting and uncomfortable. There’s weight to the synth stabs and orchestral arrangements, sending shivers down your spine. It’s breathtaking in breadth and scope, and brings you to the heart of the desert on Arrakis.

Orville Peck brings something more peaceful to proceedings with his cover of Fancy. A moving track becomes a teary one, with every agonized breath of Peck’s devastating performance laid bare. The bells at the opening are clear and lightly threatening, the organ note ringing out with perfect decay. It’s simple track the whole way through, relaying on the vocals to do most of the work. The Final D8000 DC give a stunning, stark performance.

The spaciousness of the audio makes sure you know that you don’t need spatial audio mix to get epic sounding, massive audio. Its like you’re in the center of proceedings, and immerses you in your audio like little else. It’s beautiful, and brings you closer to your music. Again, at this price, you’d expect good audio — but where some headphones at this price have controversially revealing, analytical soundscapes, the Final D8000 DC are a more welcoming, warmer affair for a more relaxed listen.

Final D8000 DC review: Verdict

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It feels vulgar to give these headphones a star rating. There’s really only one score you can give them, and that’s the full five stars — but it does need to come with some caveats. Yes, I (and the headphones) am fully aware of the price, and the kind of financial outlay that they represent. They’re headphones that you’re not going to use at all times of day like the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM5 or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. They’re going up against the Meze Elite, Audeze’s top-of-the-line headphones, and Sennheiser’s flagship wired models.

They’re a stunning, beguiling set of cans. I wish I could keep them forever, and listen to all my music in their embrace. There are alternatives at this price that focus on other parts of the frequency range and aim for different sonic palates, but for me, the Final D8000 DC are near perfect. Are they for everyone? Absolutely not — but if they’re for you, then you shouldn’t hesitate to spend more than my first car cost on a pair of headphones.

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