Displaying items by tag: iem - StereoLife Magazine

Meze Audio is expanding its in-ear monitor range with the new Astru, a model positioned as the company's flagship single dynamic-driver IEM. It is aimed at listeners looking for the highest possible sound quality from a relatively simple driver architecture, without moving into the price territory of the most exclusive multi-driver high-end designs. The Romanian manufacturer emphasises that Astru is not intended to compete through driver count or catalogue complexity, but rather to develop a long-standing design philosophy built around the idea that a single carefully engineered driver can deliver high resolution, convincing layering and a spacious, coherent presentation.

FiiO is expanding its in-ear headphone range with the JH13, a hybrid model aimed at users who want to try a more advanced driver configuration without spending very much. According to the manufacturer, these IEMs are intended to combine technology associated with more expensive designs with straightforward usability and easy drivability from typical mobile sources. At the centre of the JH13 is a three-driver hybrid layout consisting of a 10mm dynamic driver for the low end and a pair of balanced armature drivers handling the upper registers. A specially designed crossover is meant to integrate both sections smoothly, avoiding the disjointed character that can sometimes affect entry-level hybrids and delivering a clearer, more layered presentation than a typical single dynamic driver design.

The resurgence of premium personal audio continues to gather pace. Amsterdam-based Breggz has announced that its Zohn-1 wireless in-ear hearable has become the first product of its kind to receive IMAX Enhanced certification, creating a new device category within the programme and bringing the cinema-grade IMAX sound experience directly to in-ear listeners for the first time. With fans increasingly consuming films, series and concerts on personal devices, the move marks a notable shift in how high-fidelity sound can be delivered beyond the living room and into genuinely mobile listening.

Final Audio Design has introduced the ZE300, an ultra compact noise-cancelling true wireless earphone created for everyday listening in the smallest form factor the company has produced so far. Each earpiece weighs 4 g and the design draws on Final's Cotsubu series, coming in 20 percent smaller than the ZE3000 SV to offer a secure, barely there fit that is particularly suitable for smaller ears and extended wear. The ZE300 is aimed at users who want a light, discreet earphone for music, podcasts, video and day to day use, with an emphasis on comfort, clarity and versatility rather than showy styling.

Noble Audio introduced a new flagship addition to its true wireless line with the FoKus Prestige Encore, a model that refines rather than reinvents the original Prestige concept. The new earphones are positioned as Noble's most advanced true wireless design to date, with greater detail, longer battery life, improved ergonomics and smarter personalisation, while preserving the lively, engaging character that made their predecessor popular with demanding listeners. The FoKus Prestige Encore is intended to bridge Noble's high-end in-ear know-how with the flexibility expected from modern wireless listening.

Nothing has unveiled its latest generation of True Wireless Stereo earphones, the Ear (3), redefining how compact audio devices can look and perform. Designed to 'cut through the noise', the new model introduces a breakthrough Super Mic system, adaptive noise reduction, and a refined metal-infused design that elevates the brand's signature transparent aesthetic to new levels of sophistication. The Ear (3) embodies Nothing's vision of blending high-end engineering with expressive design. Its most striking innovation is the Super Mic - a dual-microphone system built into the charging case. Activated via the TALK button, it filters out up to 95 dB of ambient noise, ensuring crystal-clear voice capture even in challenging environments. The same system can be used for quick voice notes - pressing TALK records directly from the case to Nothing's Essential Space, where notes are automatically synced and transcribed using Nothing OS.

Final Audio Design, the Japanese high-end audio specialist, has announced their latest venture into the world of gaming and VR with the new VR2000 earphones. For close to five decades, Final has long proven their mastery of all things hi-fi. Starting in 1974 with the development of high-end turntable cartridges, amplifies and CD transports, and more recently moving onto portable audio with their award-winning headphone and earphone models - final's experience and insight is unmatched.

Award-winning artist Jacob Collier and Shure have joined forces to launch the all-new Aonic Free True Wireless Sound Isolating Earphones in Crimson Chrome Red and Graphite Gray. Shure, a leading global audio electronics company with nearly 100 years of history-shaping audio, has been a go-to brand for Jacob since he received an SM58 vocal microphone for his 11th birthday. During live performances and in the studio, Jacob trusts Shure gear, including microphones, in-ear monitors, and digital wireless systems. This next evolution of Shure and Jacob's collaboration brings technology from the studio to the street, providing the same high-quality Shure audio for consumers that so many artists and creators, like Jacob, rely on to record and perform. Announced earlier this month in Graphite Gray, Aonic Free have earned editorial praise from prominent consumer technology and audio reviewers. And with the holidays around the corner, a great-sounding pair of sound-isolating earphones are at the top of many wish lists this year. The eye-catching Crimson Chrome Red and classic Graphite Gray Aonic Free fuses style with function.

Astell&Kern introduces its latest in-ear monitor, the AK ZERO1, featuring three different types of drivers to deliver a ground-breaking hybrid sound. Composed of a micro planar dynamic driver, dual balanced armature drivers, and a dynamic driver, this unique design combines the sonic characteristics of each driver to produce unprecedented natural audio. Astell&Kern has set new standards in IEM engineering to get the music fan closer to the original studio sound.

The Micro Rectangular Planar Dynamic Driver is a specially developed, highly advanced driver that allows a planar driver design, normally difficult to scale down for headphones, to be applied to in-ear monitors. Adopting a sturdy and lightweight planar membrane to minimize frequency loss, this is combined with a vibration panel boasting a high-polymer and thin metal film to create crystal clear and dynamic high frequencies. The AK ZERO1's driver system also features dual BA drivers, using custom-designed coils to deliver transparent vocals with super-low distortion. Couple this with the single 5.6 mm dynamic driver to ensure rich, controlled and deep low frequencies, and the AK ZERO1 is poised to deliver its pioneering hybrid sound.

To realize this new sound through the ideal frequency response, a Crossover Network design was generated based on a thorough understanding of each driver's parameters. Once established, each driver is carefully placed in the optimal position, enclosed in specifically designed acoustic chambers manufactured with 3D printing technology. These precision enclosures cleverly eliminate unnecessary movement and resonance from the drivers to ensure stable performance. Lastly, the main precision-tooled housing reduces internal and external vibrations to deliver the most focused and accurate sound possible.

To further maximize the audio performance the AK ZERO1 arrives equipped with a pure silver-coated OFC cable. Exquisitely crafted with high-purity silver plating and copper, alongside aluminum plugs, this design strives to maintain the transparency of the audio signal. Elsewhere, the MMCX connectors ensure a prime-quality connection between the ear housing and cable, offering long-lasting and stable performance. For discerning audiophiles looking to experience the highest quality audio possible from their AK ZERO1 IEMs or any other MMCX-connector compatible headphones, Astell&Kern is launching an optional 4.4mm cable. The PEP11 sports larger aluminum-machined 4.4mm plugs and features the same top-quality high-purity silver plating and copper cable.

Astell&Kern's recognizable bold diagonal design language continues on the AK ZERO1, with the premium cut metal surface brilliantly reflecting the light. The shape of the housing and the slender ear nozzles have been carefully designed and refined to not only provide a secure and comfortable fit but to deliver the sound efficiently and accurately through your ears. To further provide a snug fit, five different-sized pairs of silicone ear tips and one set of foam tips are supplied, along with a carry case to keep your IEMs pristine during transit. The Astell&Kern AK ZERO1 is priced at £649/$699/€749 and the PEP11 is priced at £119/$130/€139. Info and photos by Astell&Kern via Armour Home.

True Wireless In-Ear Headphones are immensely popular, but most currently available designs represent a compromise choice, one that trades sound quality for wireless convenience. Bowers & Wilkins has always insisted this issue would need to be addressed before the company could consider launching its own TWS products. Now, after an extensive period of development, Bowers & Wilkins is proud to launch two new products that bring the brand's famous True Sound promise of absolute performance to the True Wireless In-Ear