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Ultrasone IQ unveiled as company's first in-ear headphones, hybrid drivers in tow
Heads up, audiophiles! Here's a little gem we spotted at the Hong Kong High-End Audio Visual Show over the weekend. Dubbed the Ultrasone IQ, these turn out to be the German company's first ever in-ear headphones, and luckily they're more than just ordinary buds. You see, packed within each aluminum alloy capsule is a combo of a traditional dynamic driver and a balanced armature driver, with the former taking care of the bass plus lower-mids, and the latter covering the rest -- specific frequency response to be confirmed at a later date. The technology isn't new, of course, but it's all about the fine-tuning to match the price tag -- we've been told to expect around HK$6,000, which is about US$770. This author was fortunate enough to try the pictured prototype at the event and was left impressed by its definition, but the final product will apparently perform even better when it hits the market in late September. Just to seal the deal for hardcore users, these buds feature MMCX connectors, meaning you can swap the original cables with the bundled headset kit (for iPhone and major Android devices) or other third-party wires. Launched alongside the IQ were the Signature DJ and two new additions to the Edition 8 line: Romeo and Juliet, which seem like a nice idea for audiophilic couples. Alas, details are light here in terms of prices and availability, but at least Romeo and Juliet will perform identically as the original Edition 8. The new DJ cups, on the other hand, await official specifications. For now, hit the gallery to take a look at all of Ultrasone's new offerings. %Gallery-162379%
Ultrasone Edition 10 headphones sound and are expensive: $2,749 for one of only 2,010 made
Hands up if you actually know what ruthenium is. Don't worry if you don't, it's just used as an external plating on these extremely luxurious open-back cans. More familiar expensive materials can be found within, with titanium-plated 40mm drivers, silver-plated copper wires with 99.99 percent purity and kevlar-coated cables, and of course, for that extra special touch, Ethiopian sheepskin earcup pads. That's skin, not wool, so bear it in mind if you care for the welfare of little fluffy ones. Either way, the Ultrasone Edition 10s do seem like they've packed just enough luxury and exclusivity to justify their $2,745 price -- only thing we need now is a matching mahogany furniture set, preferably with some endangered species' heads adorning our walls.
Ultrasone goes 'airy' with $329 HFI-2400 headphones
They're no Edition 8s, but Ultrasone's newest cans are still aiming to make a believer out of you. The mid-range (by its standards, anyway) HFI-2400 headphones are collapsible, over-the-head cans that promise an "airy tone" from the 40 millimeter drivers. Encased in black and silver, these definitely look the part, and the bundled velvet case and demo CD certainly go a long way towards making you feel like a real epicurean. The pain? Just $329, and they should be up for order as we speak.%Gallery-74862%
Ultrasone Edition 8 headphones hands-on and impressions
Ultrasone's been kickin' out $1.5k headphones for as long as we can remember, and it only takes a glimpse at the Edition 9s from 2006 to see just how far we've come. The newest model, curiously titled the Edition 8, was initially announced a few months back, and we've just now been able to stuff our cranium between its Ethiopian sheepskin-covered earcups and hear 'em out. We've listened to our fair share of audio products over the years, and we definitely feel as if these are some of the most exquisite we've had the pleasure of experiencing. Still, with a $1,500 price tag, it'll take a little more than "yeah, these are pretty wicked" to win us over. Head on past the break for our two pennies.%Gallery-68194%
Ultrasone intros audiophile-grade Edition 8 headphones
Ultrasone has never been one to pop out low-end cans, but its latest model is decidedly luxurious. The Edition 8 headphones employ the company's S-Logic Plus technology for an "impartial acoustic feeling that allows the listener even more of a spacious tonal perception." These were created with the "audio connoisseur" in mind, with the interior ear cups covered in fine Ethiopian sheepskin (something that Sir Dave Chappelle would argue does not help sound quality) and the outer ear cups doused in Ruthenium. Each set is individually stamped and arrives in a leather case for storage, but you'll be asked to hand over a whopping $1,499 before you indulge. The full release is after the break.
Ultrasone debuts $600 "radiation reducing" Pro 900 headphones
Good news everyone! If Ultrasone's $1,500 pair of radiation reducing Edition 9 headphones were a bit too pricey for your taste, you'll no doubt be thrilled to know that the company has now let loose the far cheaper Pro 900 phones, which promise to block just as much of that pesky radiation for the low, low price of $600. Of course, Ultrasone is just as focused on sound quality as it is on curbing radiation leakage, and the Pro 900s look like they should deliver the goods on that front as well, with them boasting a 6-42k Hz frequency range, 40 Ohm impedance, a sound pressure level of 96dB, and a 40mm titanium-plated driver at the heart of each can. You'll even get interchangeable spiral and straight cables, and a hard carrying case to protect your new prized possession.[Thanks, Tom]
Ultrasone Edition 9s headphones will set you back $1,500
We'll probably never have the ears to distinguish a $1,500 pair of headphones from a $200 pair, but Ultrasone clearly thinks the Edition 9s are worth that extra fistful of cash. The company's press release claims that the technology in the 'phones "reduces sound pressure to the eardrums by an astonishing 40 percent" and that the headphones reduce EM field radiation (you know, like radio signals given off by your cellphone) by "up to 98 percent." These headphones have a frequency range of 8Hz to 35Hz, and come with Ethiopian sheep leather (is that good?) in the ear pads and headband pad.
