Ultimate Ears is well-known these days for its portable Bluetooth speakers and well, consumer level audio gear. But the company also makes in-ear monitors for musicians and audio professionals that are getting a refresh today. The new UE Live in-Ear Monitors feature some notable tech along with the company’s new proprietary driver and cable systems.
The new Live CIEMs (custom in-ear monitors) feature 6 balanced armatures and 1 true tone plus driver alongside a single dynamic 6mm neodymium speaker. The combination of 8 speakers provides the fullest, richest, and most powerful in-ear monitor” the company has ever made, according to UE. Each of the 8 sound sources are specifically tailored to handle a particular frequency band in order to reduce harmonic distortion and more.
Just to get some of the standard specs out of the way, you’re looking at a 5 Hz – 22 kHz frequency range, -26 decibels of ambient stage noise isolation, 10 Ohms @ 1 kHz Impedance and a traditional 1/8-inch headphone jack.
These also feature UE’s newly announced IPX Connection System, which essentially provides a durable and extremely lightweight solution for stage performers and the like. The new Ultimate Ears SuperBax cable is designed specifically for the rigors of the road and is strong enough to carry a 12-pound barbell while remaining invisible enough to hide on stage.
The new Ultimate Ears Live in-Ear Monitors sound like they are pretty amazing, but they better be with a $2,199 suggested retail price. Needless to say, these are some pretty spec’d out in-ear monitors and they are going to cost you. These kinds of headsets are available elsewhere for less, but clearly UE is aiming at those that are heavily invested in audio or have a lot of extra cash to burn. But the bespoke editor options are a nice little touch:
You can customize the look of your new pricey monitors using the online editor page UE has provided. While it is fairly simple at its core, you’ll find all sorts of finishes there including wood, matte colors and more. They also ship with a personalized carrying case and a cleaning tool. Pre-orders are up now with an early May 2018 shipping date.
Just keep in mind, unless you’re about to start your 2018 world tour, you’re probably better off with something much less expensive, if that wasn’t already obvious. There are certainly options out there for stage performers that don’t cost nearly this much, like those from Sennheiser and Fender.
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