SENNHEISER IE 900 AUDIOPHILE EARPHONES ARE THE BRANDS NEW FLAGSHIP IN EAR MONITORS

The Sennheiser IE 900 audiophile earphones are the German manufacturer’s new flagship IEMs.

Following the news that the CE  division of Sennheiser, comprising of headphones and soundbars, will be run in partnership with Sonova, Sennheiser says that with the IE 900 they have “brought together technical innovation, portability, meticulous attention to detail, and an uncompromising demand for perfection to deliver a listening experience without compromise”.

The new Sennheiser IE 900 Audiophile Earphones

SENNHEISER IE 900 IEMS

The new IE 900 features Sennheiser’s proprietary X3R transducer, a refined version of the 7mm audiophile Extra Wide Band transducer featuring a unique triple-chamber absorber system.

TRIPLE-CHAMBER ABSORBER SYSTEM

Sennheiser’s quest for delivering highest-fidelity sound begins with the housings of the IE 900’s earpieces. They are milled from a single block of aluminium to create the earphones’ unique triple-chamber absorber (T3CA) system. Originally developed for the Sennheiser IE 800 (which we reviewed back in 2015), the IE 900 features the next generation of the patented absorber system, which uses three chambers and an acoustic vortex milled into the nozzle to counter the masking effect. This acoustic phenomenon arises as the human ear cannot perceive high frequency sounds at a low volume if louder sounds in a lower frequency range occur at the same time. By removing the energy from masking resonances, Sennheiser says that the absorber system prevents undesired peaks, making even the subtlest nuances of sound audible.

Sennheiser IE 900 IEM construction

“No detail is too small when you’re striving to set a new benchmark in portable audio fidelity. We designed every component of the IE 900 to work together to deliver extraordinary audio performance,” said Jermo Köhnke, Product Manager at Sennheiser. “Whether in long listening sessions at home or on the go, listeners will never have to compromise on their music experience.”

SENNHEISER X3R TRANDUCER

Compared to traditional multi-driver concepts, single-driver technology promises greater fidelity for listeners. The IE 900 therefore features Sennheiser’s new X3R transducer, a refined version of their 7mm audiophile Extra Wide Band transducer, engineered for tighter tolerances and expertly tuned. The IE 900 transducer is coupled with the acoustic back volume in the fully automated transducer manufacturing facility at the Sennheiser’s headquarters in Germany, resulting in the lowest unit-to-unit variations in miniature, dynamic drivers.

PRECISION ENGINEERING

A specialist team in Wedemark, Germany designs, engineers, and manufactures the IE 900 to the highest production standards. The housings are precision milled from high-performance aluminium alloy designed to retain its appearance for years to come. Precision cameras examine the transducer components closely during production, and completed transducers are tested before and after pairing. For optimal performance, the assembled left and right-side earphones are paired by hand to work together.

The Sennheiser IE 900 Audiophile Earphones cost over £1000

Extremely light and pliable, the broadband transducers feature a newly developed membrane foil for a high degree of inner dampening, ensuring minimized natural resonances and distortion (THD: 0.05% at 94 dB, 1 kHz) and a frequency response of 5 Hz – 48,000 Hz.

CABLE CHOICE

Thanks to the Fidelity Plus MMCX connector, audiophiles have the freedom of cable choice with the IE 900. Deeper integration into the housing provides better stability for the gold-plated connector. The earphones come with an unbalanced cable with a 3.5mm connector and balanced cables with 2.5mm and 4.4mm connectors. Tested and improved for robustness and longevity, the para-aramid-reinforced cables can withstand thousands of bending cycles. For a comfortable and secure fit, the IE 900 offers ergonomic features, including individually adjustable ear hooks as well as silicone and memory foam ear adaptors in three sizes, perfect for extended periods of personal music enjoyment.

Sennheiser IE 900 Audiophile Earphones with changeable cables

TECHNICAL SPECS

Impedance: 16 Ω

Sound pressure level (SPL): 123 dB (1 kHz, 1 Vrms)

THD, total harmonic distortion: <0.05% (94 dB, 1 kHz)

Cable length: 125 cm

Transducer principle: single dynamic driver, pressure chamber

Weight: 4 g

Technology: unique X3R technology

Housing: One-piece precision-milled aluminium housing

Frequency response: 5 Hz – 48,000 Hz (-10 dB)

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The Sennheiser IE 900 will be available from June $1299,95 in the USA, for £1,099 in the UK and1,299€ in Ireland (MSRP).

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