Welcome to the ‘First Look’ of the Final DX10000 CL, Final’s new statement closed-back flagship headphone. Built around a newly developed 40mm True Diamond diaphragm dynamic driver, the Final DX10000 CL is pitched as one of the brand’s most ambitious headphone projects to date, designed to deliver the isolation and physical impact of closed-back listening without the coloration that usually comes with it.
Kind of product
The Final DX10000 CL is a closed-back, over-ear reference headphone aimed at the very top of Final’s D Series lineup. It is built as a complete acoustic system rather than a single new driver dropped into an existing shell: a new True Diamond diaphragm, a high-rigidity aluminium-magnesium alloy housing and a 12-point through-bolt construction are all designed together to control resonance inside a sealed enclosure.
Brand
Final is the Japanese headphone and earphone specialist behind the D Series and other reference-level in-ear and over-ear designs, known for pursuing what it calls “the comprehensive pursuit of things that are fundamentally right” and for building serviceable, long-term products rather than disposable electronics.
Current price
Pre-orders for the Final DX10000 CL opened on 9 July. The first 150 units worldwide are sold as a limited Collector’s Edition priced at £7,999 / €8.999 / $8,999, while the standard edition is priced at £7,499 / €8.499 / $8,499.
What’s in the box
On paper, the Collector’s Edition ships in a traditional Japanese paulownia wood box with an original Shingen Pouch woven from Tango Chirimen silk, plus a bespoke CNC-machined aluminium headphone stand. The standard edition instead includes the protective carrying case used across Final’s D Series. Both versions come with two Final original silver-coated cables co-developed with cable specialist Junkosha: a 4.4mm/1.5m cable and a 4-pin XLR/3m cable, along with 4-pin XLR-to-6.3mm and 4.4mm-to-6.3mm adapters.
Features
- True Diamond diaphragm: a 40mm dynamic driver with a CVD-grown, self-supporting diamond dome for rigidity and fast transient response
- 5-axis CNC-machined housing: aluminium-magnesium alloy shell treated as part of the acoustic design, not just an enclosure
- Serviceable construction: 12-point through-bolt assembly instead of adhesive, allowing disassembly for maintenance
- Ultrasuede earpads: chosen for controlled air permeability rather than a fully sealed chamber
- Premium cabling: two Junkosha-developed silver-coated cables included as standard
Key Specifications
- Housing: aluminium-magnesium alloy
- Driver: 40mm True Diamond diaphragm dynamic driver
- Sensitivity: 92dB/mW, 1kHz
- Impedance: 20 ohms, 1kHz
- Weight: 543g
- Cables: 4-pin XLR/3m and 4.4mm/1.5m, silver-coated OFC
- Origin: Made in Japan
Closer look
The driver system is built specifically for the pressure a sealed enclosure puts on a diaphragm: a steep-profile diamond dome with a cylindrical rib, a new polyurethane surround, a polyimide bobbin-integrated voice coil and a free-floating lead wire structure, all backed by an N55 neodymium magnet and internal damping to absorb rear-wave reflections. On the closed-back debate, the Final DX10000 CL sits against rivals such as the Focal Stellia and T+A Solitaire T largely on construction philosophy: where sealed designs often lean on a boosted treble to offset extra bass pressure, Final’s approach uses ventilated Ultrasuede earpads to manage the ear chamber more naturally, at least according to the brand’s own description of the design.
For whom is this product
The Final DX10000 CL is aimed at collectors and reference-level listeners who want a closed-back headphone for private, immersive listening without sacrificing the resolution associated with open-back flagships, and who are willing to pay flagship prices for a serviceable, long-term product rather than a disposable one. Those exploring the wider design language behind diamond-based drivers may want to read our related piece on headphone diaphragm materials, from mylar to diamond.
Conclusion
The Final DX10000 CL looks like a serious attempt to solve the fundamental compromises of closed-back headphone design rather than mask them, backed by a driver technology, housing and serviceable construction that few rivals can match at this price. Full technical details and ordering information are available via Final.
Frequently asked questions
What construction details support the True Diamond driver inside the sealed housing?
A steep-profile diamond dome with a cylindrical rib, a new polyurethane surround, a polyimide bobbin-integrated voice coil and a free-floating lead wire structure, all backed by an N55 neodymium magnet and internal damping to absorb rear-wave reflections.
How does the DX10000 CL’s closed-back approach compare to rivals like the Focal Stellia or T+A Solitaire T?
It sits against these rivals largely on construction philosophy: where sealed designs often lean on a boosted treble to offset extra bass pressure, Final’s approach uses ventilated Ultrasuede earpads to manage the ear chamber more naturally — at least according to the brand’s own description of the design.
What makes the DX10000 CL’s housing serviceable rather than disposable?
A 12-point through-bolt assembly is used instead of adhesive, allowing the headphone to be disassembled for maintenance — part of Final’s philosophy of building long-term, serviceable products rather than disposable electronics.
Where does the DX10000 CL sit within Final’s headphone lineup?
It is built as Final’s new statement closed-back flagship, aimed at the very top of the brand’s D Series lineup.
How easy is the DX10000 CL to drive, and what connections does it support?
With a sensitivity of 92dB/mW at 1kHz and an impedance of 20 ohms, it is not a demanding load. Termination is flexible: the supplied silver-coated cables are 4.4mm and 4-pin XLR, and both 4-pin XLR-to-6.3mm and 4.4mm-to-6.3mm adapters are included, so it connects to balanced and single-ended outputs alike.
