While high-end audio features continue to trickle down to affordable earphones, for true audiophiles, the new Sennheiser IE 600 earphones are, shall we say, reassuringly expensive.
The 699 euro (around £580) Sennheiser IE 600 have been crafted using ZR01 amorphous zirconium, which is the same metal used in the drilling head of NASA’s Mars Rover, lending the earphones “ultimate toughness in extreme conditions.”
The company says the earphones’ unique finish on the casing is “extraordinarily” resistant to scratches and corrosion, so that expensive purchase will stand the test of time. If the earbuds do succumb, then they can be easily detached and replaced. The earbuds, which are a huge upgrade on the Sennheiser IE 300, are wired, rather than wireless, meaning there’s no problem with support for hi-resolution, lossless audio files. 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm connectors are also included.
Design again plays into the sound quality promised by the IE 600 earphones. The company says its TrueResponse transducer, which is a single 7mm driver, promises a virtually “distortion-free” experience.
The company isn’t going too deep on the specs ahead of the release in spring/summer 202, but does say there’ll be “innovative acoustic back volume and precision-moulded resonator chambers.”
“At the audiophile development team, we intently listen to the feedback of our incredibly passionate customers. The IE 600 delivers a neutral reference tuning in combination with our industry-leading miniature transducer technology,” says Jermo Köhnke, Product Manager at Sennheiser Audiophile. “The paradigm-shifting acoustic performance is appropriately clad in highest-performance amorphous zirconium. The IE 600 will be a reference for the most demanding mobile audio enthusiasts.”
While these earphones represent a significant investment, it may turn out to be a smart one, if you want high quality earphones that’ll handle lossless and hi-res files for a long, long period of time.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.