Final Audio DX10000CL Review: $9K Price Tag & Diamond Driver

The rumors are true: Final Audio has a new flagship closed-back headphone. The Final DX10000CL is the latest and greatest from Final's lineup, taking what they know of closed-back construction and approaching it from a new angle. The price tag is one of the first things people notice on these headphones: $8,999. It's no small upgrade, so what makes it so great? We had the opportunity to test out the DX10000CL at Audio46 and really analyze all it had to offer. Is this the flagship headphone you've been dreaming of? Let's dive into the details and see if the DX10000CL's diamond driver really is a girl's best friend.

• Housing: Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy
• Driver Unit: 40mm True Diamond Diaphragm Dynamic Driver
• Cable: 4-pin XLR / 3m Silver-coated cable, ePTFE-Insulated 4.4mm / 1.5m Silver-coated cable
• Sensitivity: 92 dB/mW (1 kHz)
• Impedance: 20 Ω (1 kHz)
• Weight: 543 g

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

Now the part that everyone has been anxiously awaiting: the listening test. How does the DX10000CL sound? Once I had the DX10000CL hooked up to a premium amplifier with ample power, I was able to sit down and really take some time with the sound profile. Upon a first listen, the first thing I noticed was the immersive picture. The sound enveloped me exceptionally well, in a way only a closed-back can, and I was transported into my own world during the listening experience. I was able to place things fairly accurately in the soundstage, and the depth of the soundstage was much appreciated in larger ensembles with lots of layers. The headphone is quite sensitive and gets loud fairly easily, but as mentioned before, the right amplifier brings out the ideal signature that you expect out of a $9k headphone. 

Overall, the sound signature for the DX10000CL is quite balanced. The low end gets noticed almost immediately, but the midrange does come forward to highlight melodies and hooks in tracks. The treble stays a bit more recessed and in the back of the profile. It's like the frequencies are slightly veiled, which dampens their piercing quality so they aren't as overwhelming. The texture and timbres of instruments were reproduced very well, and it made distinguishing between instruments very simple and easy to do. I liked the texture of the DX10000CL the best, and while it may not be a strictly reference sound, it definitely can be used for analytical and detailed listening. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

Most closed-back headphones face the issue of being very bass-heavy due to their passive isolation. It naturally boosts the low end, which could make the headphone sound a bit muddy. In the DX10000CL, the bass doesn't encounter this issue. The bass is strong, but it doesn't crowd the entire signature. It remains balanced with the midrange and treble, while extending into the sub-bass frequencies to make the music more grounded and impactful. The detail in the lower register came through quite well, so the instruments that lived in this range got plenty of attention in their reproduction. In bass-heavy genres like rock, R&B, or even some jazz, you can hear the thick body that lower frequencies take up in the low-end space. It makes the entire signature of the DX10000CL thicker, and it makes the profile take shape in different ways depending on the genre. The bass was warm but still punchy in high-energy tracks, and while some of the highs got a bit veiled, the low end stayed exceptionally clear and detailed so you could identify the textures of different low-end elements. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The DX10000CL has a midrange that pulls forward nicely to make the main melodies stand out. They were somewhat transparent and effectively utilized the depth of the soundstage. The midrange is home to a lot of big melodic parts in a track, including vocals, guitars, keys, and even some strings. The transition from the lower mids into the midrange frequencies was smooth and seamless, blending nicely but still maintaining separation. The separation across the midrange frequencies was very effective, as you got to appreciate all the parts of the track. Vocals got their own special feature in the signature, coming to the very front and becoming the focal point of most tracks. The DX10000CL does a good job at making those voice pieces super realistic and frontal so you are locked in to those moments. I liked how I could really differentiate the various elements in larger ensemble tracks, from extensive orchestras to big brass bands. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

The treble in the DX10000CL definitely takes a step back, and you notice this most when there isn't enough power delivered to the headphones. I didn't mind that the treble wasn't as forward, as it helped the signature not be as piercing or overly sharp to distract. Overall, the treble was bright and had an airy quality that emphasized the space in the top end. There was a slight veil over the top end to make things a bit hidden at times, but it didn't hide any important details that made tracks feel like they were missing an integral part of their construction. I found that the slight recession could be remedied by a small EQ adjustment, and it was like those high frequencies got put more in line with the bass and midrange to be more balanced. Still, with a better amplifier, I found this adjustment wasn't needed and the DX10000CL reproduced a very airy top end that wasn't too harsh on the ears. The color and detail carried throughout the DX10000CL's signature, and the entire profile became very balanced and palatable without the harshness that you might expect out of an overcompensating treble response. 

The DX10000CL actually offers an interesting angle to the audiophile space. In terms of flagship headphones, we see companies like STAX, Hifiman, and Abyss make stunning open-back models that people still look to get into their collections to this day. When it comes to closed-backs, we don't have a lot of options that people really enjoy. Dan Clark has some of the top models, from the E3 at the $2.3k price and the Stealth at the $4.5k spot. The Focal Stellia is a popular headphone that people seek after, especially with the popularity of the Focal Bathys. The DX10000CL, however, comes in at the very top of the price point with similar prices to the Hifiman Susvara Unveiled and the Abyss AB-1266. How does it compare? 

To really give an accurate comparison, we'll look at it from two perspectives: how does the DX10000CL compare to others in the same price point? When we look at something like the Susvara Unveiled next to the DX10000CL, the first difference we have to account for is the open vs closed-back design. Then, the dynamic driver of the DX10000CL is going to deliver a different profile than that of the planar magnetic on the Susvara Unveiled. Even when we bring in headphones like the Abyss AB-1266, we run into the same differences. Final has truly created something in its own class to make it almost incomparable to others. 

What about other Final Audio headphones? Final released three closed-back headphones this year alone: the DX3000CL, the DX4000CL, and now this DX10000CL. It's hard to compare these because they are in such different price ranges, but it's worth looking at to see what the difference is between a $1000 and $9000 unit. What upgrades did Final make? The DX4000CL is an excellent headphone, something that we love at Audio46 for its value. The DX10000CL is such a step up because of the gear that you must use with it, so it feels like a high-end experience right from how you have to use it. The DX4000CL is more versatile with the DACs and amplifiers you can use with it, and the same goes for the DX3000CL. Depending on your listening purposes and what kind of budget you have, you can make an informed decision on which closed-back is for you. 

So, after all is said and done, what do we think of the Final Audio DX10000CL? This flagship headphone is truly impressive, though it does have some caveats. You definitely need high-end gear to get the most out of the DX10000CL, so you want to make sure your DAC and amplifier are ready to push serious power through this pair of cans. The comfort and connection are simple and familiar, which makes integration all the easier in your home systems. The sound is dynamic and entertaining, so trust that you will be fully entertained whenever you listen to the DX10000CL. 

If you are interested in the Final DX10000CL, I recommend giving it a test listen. Dropping $9k is no small decision, and your ears will be the best judge if this is the right headphone to add to your collection. This flagship closed-back may be the last headphone you need to complete your collection, but making sure you have the proper gear to make it truly shine will be essential in the upgrade process. 

You can pre-order the Final DX10000CL at Audio46.