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Full-size headphones like the Final Audio UX5000 have always been a rather demanding and nuanced choice for me. And that’s easy to understand: I almost always work in hot weather, constantly edit and process audio, and my ears tend to get warm inside closed-back earcups, making it difficult to wear them comfortably for long periods without breaks. So a full-size model needs to offer something special – or a whole combination of clever touches that make me willing to overlook a certain amount of discomfort (especially given the abnormal heat that seems to be here to stay). And the Final Audio UX5000 has so many of those little extras that I’ll start with them right away.
Read also: All headphone reviews on RN
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Final Audio UX5000 Video Review
A quick rundown
There won’t be a traditional, boring review – sorry. If you’re interested in the basics: the frequency response is almost perfectly tuned to the Harman curve (and LDAC is supported), while the box includes a quality carrying case and an AUX cable (although, for some reason, there’s no USB-C cable). The companion app is comprehensive, though I’d like to see a few more features. Personally, I also find the headband a little too tight, although it’s SUPER soft, just like the ear cushions, and the UX5000’s earcups offer more than enough range of movement.
And now – on to the most interesting bit.
Design and That Signature “Splatter Finish”
Judging headphones purely by their appearance may seem odd. But first, when a headset costs around $300, good looks are no longer a luxury – they’re a necessity. Second, the UX5000 feature a very distinctive surface texture: dark-gray metal with a fine black paint-splatter effect.
It seems to be a signature touch of Japanese engineering – much like Bakelite was once a symbol of Soviet industry. I constantly encounter a similar texture, both visually and to the touch, on my work camera, the Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX (and the Lumix S1 IIE had the same finish).
Whenever I touch the UX5000, I get a genuine Ratatouille flashback – remember the stern critic near the end of the movie? That’s exactly the vibe. An almost instant association with professional quality and reliability. In the industry, this type of coating is known as a splatter finish, and I honestly didn’t expect to see it on a consumer headset. It’s seriously cool.
Repairability and the Unique AUX Connection
The Final Audio UX5000 doesn’t just feature magnetic ear pads – which is already a plus for hygiene and easy replacement – it also allows the battery to be replaced relatively easily.
When I say “relatively,” I mean that you’ll still need to do some soldering, and you’ll have to find a compatible replacement battery. But the important part is that you don’t have to literally break open or pry apart the housing, as you do with 99% of modern wireless headphones.
Another unique feature is that the Final Audio UX5000 barely drains the battery when connected via AUX. More importantly, the 3.5 mm wired mode does NOT disable active noise cancellation (ANC) or transparency mode. For wireless headphones, that’s a genuinely rare and useful feature.
However, both transparency mode and noise cancellation still drain the battery even when using the mini-jack. That’s obvious, but still a little annoying. As for how well these modes work, the ANC does a great job of blocking out the hum of an air conditioner, while transparency mode even helped me hear the doorbell. And my doorbell is very quiet.
Ergonomics, Battery Life, and Latency
Of course, there’s full-fledged ANC and Ambient Sound, since this is essentially a full-size urban headset. The earcups are large (Over-Ear) – they don’t press against the ears but completely surround them, which helps reduce heat buildup around the ears somewhat.
Other nice features include:
- Equalizer and Multi-point: support for connecting to two devices simultaneously.
- Fantastic battery life: the 700 mAh battery provides up to 65 hours of use with ANC enabled. I tested the headphones for a week in everyday use, and they still hadn’t completely run out of battery.
- Precise battery indicator: Android reports the charge level down to the individual percentage rather than in 10% increments. Even the system seems to appreciate just how long these headphones can last.
- Weight and controls: they weigh just 310 g. Instead of awkward touch controls, there’s a physical four-way joystick with a press function, along with a dedicated mode button with a satisfying tactile click.
I’d also highlight the minimal audio latency. It’s especially noticeable in games – playing against bots was an absolute pleasure. But the real advantage is in DaVinci Resolve, where the delay is barely noticeable, which is noticeably better than with my Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex.
Well, I’ve shown an example of how the microphone works in the video above.
Final Thoughts
I’ll remember the Final Audio UX5000 for a long time. And not so much because of the sound – quite a few brands can achieve a well-tuned Harman curve these days – but because of everything else: phenomenal repairability, the austere “camera-like” design, fantastic battery life, and a whole host of thoughtful little details. The Japanese really do know how to build quality products. You can’t take that away from them. Highly recommended!
