SHICHIKU.KANGEN: An Introduction

For the selective listener looking for a product embodying meticulous detail, the SHICHIKU.KANGEN is worth savouring, both visually and sonically.

SHICHIKU.KANGEN (SK) is an IEM project jointly developed by Japan’s final Audio and Singapore’s DITA Audio. Powered by a true beryllium driver and channelled through the OSLO Cable GEN.SK, the SHICHIKU.KANGEN’s components have been tuned by both companies from scratch, aimed at giving the listener a visual and sonic experience different from anything in both brand’s line ups.

The delicate ASANOHA gold patterns found on the SK’s shell is created through the art of Chinkin, a lacquer technique with its origins in China, later developed in Japan. Machine-etched, hand filled.

Each shell has passed through the hands of designers, engineers and lacquer craftsmen. Weaving new and old together to bring the the SK to life through their skills. 

ETYMOLOGY

Shichikukangen, 糸竹管弦 is an old Japanese phrase with its roots in Chinese, serving as the general term for music and musical instruments.

Shi, 糸 (Thread); Gen, 弦(String)
Musical instruments that produce sounds through vibration of threads or strings.

Chiku, 竹 (Bamboo); Kan, 管(Tube)
Musical instruments that produce sounds through the vibration of the air inside the bamboo or tube 

SOUND NOTES

final x DITA ’s SHICHIKU.KANGEN is engineered to sound vivid and lively regardless of genre— as if the listener is in the presence of performers and their instruments.

The SK performs like a musical instrument in itself: Improving with the passage of time and bringing you increasingly richer experiences with each use.

As with a musical instrument, we hope that these earphones will become more and more familiar to the listener with every use, bringing you joy for a long time to come.

BACKGROUND

In 2015, DITA became final Audio’s distributor in Southeast Asia, kickstarting the longstanding relationship between both companies. Both companies had similar principles in the area of tuning, product development and attention to material science. This eventually developed into a mutual respect for each other’s products.

As such, this distributor-principal relationship soon became a friendship.

Following this, final became DITA Audio’s distributor in Japan.

During periods of casual conversation, Danny and Hosoo discussed the possibility of pooling the tech and experience between both brands to develop a pair of earphones.

During an early-2019 sharing of both company’s flagships, the A8000 and Dream XLS, both teams were so impressed by each other’s work that the idea finally took root, becoming the catalyst of the SHICHIKU.KANGEN project. 

DRIVER

A new driver, the “True Beryllium Driver Gen.SK” was developed with thorough attention and detail. This driver imparts its vivid, lively sound, beautiful presentation and exceptional transient response to the SHICHIKU.KANGEN’s sound signature.

In a bid to create a wide, rich and distortion-free low range, both companies have also developed a new method to attach the voice coil to the diaphragm.

This requires a customised jig design, and a new bonding method, which DITA with its parent company’s expertise with plastics and resins was able to develop. Allowing the voice coil to drive the diaphragm while having very little impact on its sound signature.

This should result in a maximally coherent sound signature.

The SHICHIKU.KANGEN uses a diaphragm made from ultrathin Beryllium foil.

Beryllium’s lightness and stiffness gives it an edge over other diaphragm materials, producing a sound that’s generally clean and speedy.

With a specific gravity of 1.85 and a sound propagation velocity of 12,900m/s, second only to that of diamond, Beryllium has ideal characteristics for diaphragm material.

Pure beryllium drivers have only just been implemented in the market. In part due to the sheer difficulty in crafting thin pure Beryllium foils. This is due to Beryllium’s inherent brittleness, leading it to fracture easily if not machined properly.

These characteristics mean that Beryllium requires stringent and practiced process controls. Dull tools or ill-kept machines run the risk of breakage and stress for the material, making beryllium diaphragm production a rigorous test of quality for a manufacturer.

Ordinarily, a Beryllium diaphragm is created by vacuum deposition of a thin coat of Beryllium onto a resin film. This was effective as an improvement measure but the characteristics of the resin film remain predominant.

When pure Beryllium is used as the only material for the sound producing part of the diaphragm, the sound and characteristics are completely different, taking on the clean, agile qualities of beryllium.

THE OSLO CABLE GEN.SK

Since its inception, DITA Audio emphasises the use of a quality, custom-built cable in all its products, Truth cable, co-developed with Van Den Hul, and the OSLO oil-soaked copper cable that is supplied with a bottle of contact enhancing fluid.

These innovations are led by a belief that cables matter even more in personal audio where differences in sound quality are even more readily apparent due to the absence of room acoustics. The co-developed OSLO used in the SHICHIKU.KANGEN product is once again specifically formulated to elevate the performance of the product.

Over 30 different configurations were tried and tested before arriving at a version of the OSLO cable that would suitably elevate the performance of the product.

The OSLO Cable GEN SK comes terminated with an MMCX connector on the earphone side as well as interchangeable 2.5mm -balanced, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced plugs.

SPECIFICATIONS

Model name
SHICHIKU.KANGEN

Chassis
Stainless Steel

Driver
Dynamic Driver（True Beryllium Driver Gen.SK）

Connector
MMCX

Cable
OSLO Cable Gen.SK

Sensitivity
99dB/mw

Impedence
16Ω

Weight
47g

ACCESSORIES

The SHICHKU.KANGEN comes bunded with a book with behind the scenes production details, and more explanations on the SK’s sound  philosophy and additional anecdotes from both brands.

It also comes with interchangeable 2.5mm -balanced, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced plugs.

• 5 Sizes of final Audio Type E Eartips
• MMCX Assist in Black
• Hard Leather Case
• Changeable dust filters and filter stickers

About DITA 

DITA builds products embodying a quest for the sublime, based off the premise that a well-crafted product is an experience in itself.

Beyond the realm of audio, DITA looks to engage partners and clientele with a curiosity and passion for complete design integration and execution. Driving collaborative ventures in the fields of design, engineering and manufacturing to that end. 

About final Audio

Established in the 1970s, Final sells high-end audio earphones and headphones. Through the years, Final has actively adopted various cutting-edge technology with the aim of developing earphones and headphones that humans can continue to use in much the same way they would with a mechanical wristwatch, creating devices that can be valued as antiques in the future.