Faith Audio Labs E1000 Review: Faith in One Driver
We see numerous audio brands emerging from here and there, though it’s definitely been a while since the last time I saw a brand that desires a premium-level, single dynamic driver design. Today, we’re reviewing the E1000 by Faith Audio Labs. The E1000 is Faith Audio Labs’ first debut product that features a single dynamic driver with 80+ Layers Dual-Sided Titanium Sputtered diaphragm. Retailing at $3,799, the E1000 makes a bold entry to the summit-fi earphone industry. Let’s see what Faith Audio Labs has to offer through their 1DD flagship-tier IEM, and see how it sounds, and compare it with other renowned IEMs.
About Faith Audio Labs: Who Are They?
Faith Audio Labs would be a complete newcomer to the industry, though not to the people behind it. The brand is led by two founders: Xinde Chen, the lead architect, and Jason Chou, co-founder and director of acoustic aesthetics. Chen Xinde started his audio career from quality control management at Sony, Philips, and Samsung back in 1996. He eventually moves into R&D, leading driver development projects that earned VGP Gold Awards for brands like JBL and AKG. He holds multiple acoustic patents, including Dual-Magnetic Dual-Cavity techs and planar magnetic designs. In 2023, he led the team behind the world’s first Apple MFi-certified true lossless earphones.
Jason Chou, the other co-founder, entered the Hi-Fi industry in 2014 and has since been involved in manufacturing and tuning for over 40 audio brands. After many years as an avid audiophile and an acoustic engineer, in 2017, he also launched a domestic cable brand in China called Mysterious Smelting Audio. In 2024, Faith Audio Labs was established, presenting the debut flagship IEM – the E1000.
The E1000 Packaging & Accessories
Faith Audio Labs takes a strictly functional approach to the unboxing experience. The E1000 arrives in a compact, understated box that avoids the “jewelry-style” excess often found in this price bracket. While some might find the presentation a bit too modest for a $3k+ investment, I find it refreshing that the focus remains on the product itself. Despite the packaging not necessarily being flashy, the quality of the packaging and included accessories are very well thought through. Inside the wooden drawer-box packaging, you’ll find the E1000 IEMs, the stock 4.4mm cable, 3 pairs of metal-core silicone tips, 3 pairs of silicone tips, and some paperwork. A soft, white leather carrying case is also included and packed separately.
Earpieces: Titanium shells, 80+ layered Titanium Diaphragm
As for the form factor, the E1000 features a simpler, industrial-like design. The earpieces are made of CNC-machined aerospace-grade titanium alloy and are lighter and compact than most IEMs. In an era where even budget IEMs feature large shells with dozen-driver arrays, the E1000’s design focuses on function and optimization. Earpieces have a smooth, matte texture with rounded edges, offering a very easy fit. As the insertion depth of these is lighter than average in-ears, it’s recommended to size up the eartips from what you’d normally use.
Inside, the tech is more complex than it would suggest from the outside. As hinted in the intro, the pitch of E1000 and its sound lies in the 10.2mm dynamic driver with an 80+ layer dual-sided titanium sputtered diaphragm. Applying a titanium coating sure isn’t something new, though I don’t recall encountering a dynamic driver that has implemented such a large amount of coating layers – on both sides.
In terms of mechanical behavior, this translates to a diaphragm that is remarkably rigid and resistant to unwanted surface vibrations or “break-up” even when driven by the E1000’s high-energy 9000 Gauss magnetic circuit. Lastly, the driver is paired with a unique auxiliary passive radiator designed to manage internal air pressure and refine the bass response.
Faith Audio Labs E1000 Specifications:
- Driver: 10.2mm Full-Range Dynamic Driver + Passive Radiator
- Diaphragm: 80+ Layer Dual-Sided Titanium Sputtered
- Magnet: Dual Neodymium (9,000 Gauss Flux)
- Housing: CNC Aerospace-Grade Titanium Alloy
- Impedance: 45Ω
- Sensitivity: 115dB @ 1kHz
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz (±1dB)
High-Purity 4.4mm Stock Cable
While Faith Audio Labs reserves specific details about the cable materials, the stock cable is made of custom-grade, high-purity OFC wires. Terminated with the standard 2pin-4.4mm connection and black fabric shielding, the stock cable is twist-braided with 4-cores. It’s quite a heavy-duty cable that has some weight and stiffness to it, more ideal for stationary usage than active on-the-go. It has a similar or slightly heavier weight than other flagship fabric cables (PW 1960S MKII, etc.) Sonically, you can tell these wires are high-end as they bring significant depth and maturity to the E1000. Sonically, the stock cable well serves the E1000, though in case you’re planning to use the E1000 for active outdoor usage, I’d recommend seeking an alternative cable that is softer and lighter.
Next Page: In-depth Sound Impressions / How does the E1000 Sound?