2022 Annual Headphone Shootout: The IEM's

March Madness is here, so it must be time for our annual Headphone Shootout. With basketball teams about to duke it out, we like to have our own shootout with headphones.  As usual, we have some excellent products from some great manufacturers. We will be doing the IEM’s first, followed by the over the ear models next month. This year’s IEM’s comprise of 1More ComfoBuds Z True-Wireless $99 MSRP, Jabra Elite 4 Active $120 MSRP, Shokz OpenRun Pro $180 MSRP, Klipsch T5 II ANC McLaren Edition $350 MSRP, and Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport $350 MSRP. So without any further delay, let's get the Headphone Shootout started!

 

We’ll start with the 1More ComfoBuds Z, which is a True Wireless pair of IEM’s.   Not only do they feature a quality design using a balanced armature for the driver, they are also designed to help you go to sleep using an extra slim design.  They even include built-in sounds to help you go to sleep.  And with an MSRP of only $99, they provide a huge bang for your buck!

 

Features and Specs:

Single Earbud Weight:  2.7 g

Charging Case Weight:  34 g

Gross Weight:  39.4 g

Earbud Dimensions:  24 x 9.2 x 14.2 mm

Case Dimensions:  60 x 30 x 38.5 mm

Single Earbud Battery Capacity:  30 mAh

Case Battery Capacity:  410 mAh

Earbuds Charging Time:  75 Minutes

Case Charging Time:  65 Minutes

Working Temperature:  0 ℃ ~ 45 ℃

Frequency Range:  2.400 GHz ~ 2.4835 GHz

Playtime:  Earbuds Fully Charged

BLE Playtime:  approx. 3.5 Hours*

Bluetooth Playtime:  approx. 2.5 Hours*

BLE Playtime:  14 Hours*

Bluetooth Playtime:  approx. 10 Hours

Speaker Impedance:  22 Ω

Bluetooth Range:  10 m (Open Space)

Bluetooth Version:  Bluetooth ® 5.0

Bluetooth Protocols:  A2DP / AVRCP / BLE

Input:  5V 1A

 

The 1More ComfoBuds Z came in a great looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the IEM’s.  Opening the box I saw a well-protected product, held in place in their charging case.  Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic.  The quality of the materials, as well as the fit and finish, were very good.  Also included was the charging case, charging cord, additional sized ear tips, and instructions manual.

 

I was impressed with the design of the 1More ComfoBuds Z.  For this cheap price point, they still managed to be able to feature a balanced armature design for great sound quality.  And these are also designed to help you go to sleep.  To do that they designed the IEM to be extra thin, that was it would be able to fit completely inside your ear.  By doing this, no matter what position you sleep in, they will not stick out past your ear cavity.  So any tossing and turning in the middle of the night should not be a problem.   They also have soothing sounds built-in, as well as several auto off timers to pick from.  There are many nature sounds for you to pick from, such as camp fire, a stream, or ocean waves, to name a few.  So if you would rather listen to a nature sound to go to sleep to rather than your music, you have many options to pick from.  And with the auto off timers that range from 30 to 150 minutes before they turn off, you should have plenty of time to get to sleep. All of this as well as customized sound controls, are controlled thru the app.  It’s a great design.  Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Manheim Steamroller:  Going to Another Place – strings were crisp and clean, same for the cymbals. Piano sounded very natural. Flute was very smooth with very good air. Drums had nice dynamics and impact with good low end extension.  New Order: Blue Monday – Bass was nice and tight with very good depth and played with very good authority. Vocals had very good texture of the timbre, with very good harmonics. Snaps were very dynamic.  Pink Floyd: Money – The beginning with the coins and adding machine and ripping the tape from the adding machine were crisp and clean, and revealed a wide soundstage. Sax was nice and raw with good pitch definition. The drums were dynamic with good impact and depth and played with authority. Vocals were smooth with nice harmonics.

  

Next up is the Jabra Elite 4 Active.  With an MSRP of only $120, Jabra has set the bar high for bang for your buck. Not only do you get the wireless with 4 mics and an app, but you also get Active Noise Cancellation & adjustable hear through. It’s sweat proof with IP57 rating, and has Alexa built-in. And don’t forget the Jabra name, so you know it’s a quality product.

 

Features & Specs:

Audio

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC):  Yes

Adjustable HearThrough:  Yes

Noise isolating fit:  Yes

In-ear pressure relief:  Yes

Speaker size:  6mm / 0.236in

Speaker bandwidth (music mode):  20Hz - 20000Hz

Speaker bandwidth (speak mode):  100Hz - 8000Hz

Audio codecs supported:  Qualcomm® aptX™, SBC

Calls

Microphone type:  MEMS

Number of microphones:  4

Microphone bandwidth:  100Hz - 8000Hz

Noise reduction on calls:  Yes

Software & Apps: 

Compatible software and/or apps:  Jabra Sound+

Google Fast Pair (Android only):  Yes

Spotify Tap playback (Android only):  Yes

Alexa Built-in:  Yes

Voice assistant enabled:  Alexa Built-in (Android 6.0 or higher), Siri®, Google Assistant™

Fit & Comfort

Form factor:  In-ear true wireless earbuds

EarGels™:  Large, medium, small

EarGels material:  Silicone

Mono mode:  Yes

Battery

Music time (earbuds):  Up to 7 hours

Music time total (earbuds and charging case):  Up to 28 hours

Sleep mode:  Yes

Corded charging:  USB-C

Charging time:  Up to 180 minutes

Fast charge:  Up to 1 hour use, when charging earbuds for 10 minutes in charging case

Standby time:  Up to 275 Days

Battery type:  Rechargeable lithium-ion battery

Connectivity

Connectivity:  Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth profiles:  A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.6, HFP v1.7, HSP v1.2

Operating range:  Up to 10m / 33ft

Paired devices:  Up to 6 devices

Auto on/off:  Yes

General

Box contents:  Earbuds, 3 sets of EarGels™, charging case, USB-C to USB-A cable, warranty and warning leaflets

Main unit dimensions (WxHxD):  20.85mm x 20.49mm x 27.3mm / 0.82in x 0.81in x 1.07in

Charging case dimensions (WxHxD):  28.4mm x 38.9mm x 64mm / 1.12in x 1.53in x 2.52in

Earbud weight (each earbud):  5g / 0.176oz

Weight (charging case):  37.5g / 1.322oz

USB cable length:  0.2m / 0.65ft

IP rating:  IP57

Warranty:  2-year warranty (Against failure from dust and water with Jabra Sound+ app registration)

LED features and functions:  Battery status, Bluetooth pairing

Certifications and compliance:  FCC, ISED, CE, RoHS, REACH, Proposition 65, Google Fast Pair

Operating temperature:  -10°C to 55°C / 14°F to 131°F

Storage temperature:  -20°C to 60°C | -4°F to 140°F

 

The Jabra Elite 4 Active came in a great looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the IEM. Opening the box revealed a well-protected product, held in its charging case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic. Quality of materials, as well as the fit and finish, was very good. Also included were the charging case, different sized ear tips, charging cable, and owner’s manual. 

 

The design of the Jabra Elite 4 Active is very efficient. There are multiple sized ear tips so you get the right fit. You control it through the Jabra app, where you can set the ANC and Hear Through setting, as well as customize the sound to your liking. The use of four microphones is meant to give you a great experience with handsfree calling. It even incorporates Spotify functionality and Alexa. And with an IP57 rating, it will also handle all of your exercise routines. Now let’s see how it performs.

Manheim Steamroller: Going to Another Place – Strings were really crisp and clean, so were the cymbals. Piano sounded very natural. Flute was very smooth with very good air. Drums had very good dynamics with nice tight impact and good depth.  New Order: Blue Monday – Bass was nice and tight and really punchy, with excellent low-end extension, and played with very good authority. Snaps were very dynamic. Vocals had very good harmonics, with very good texture of the timbre.  Pink Floyd: Money – The beginning with the coins, and the ripping of the tape and the adding machine was really clean, and showed off a wide sound stage. Vocals were very smooth with equally nice harmonics. The sax was nice and ran with nice texture of the reed. The drums had very good dynamics, with good low-end extension and output, playing with very good authority.

Next up is a more unique headphone based on their design. It’s the Shokz OpenRun Pro. They use a Bone Conduction Open-Ear design. Bone Conduction is completely different from the traditional dynamic driver or balanced armature designs. There is no speaker used, so it doesn’t need to go in your ear. This leaves your ears completely open to be able to hear the environment around you.

 

Features & Specs: 

Back-a-track:  Yes

Battery life:  10 Hours

Battery type:  Li-Polymer Battery

Charge time:  1 Hour

Charger:  Magnetic Induction Cable

Command controls:  Yes

Compatible codecs:  SBC

Compatible profiles:  A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP

Frequency response:  20Hz~20KHz

Microphone:  Dual Noise-Canceling Mic

Microphone sensitivity:  -38dB ± 3dB

Moisture detector:  Yes

Multipoint pairing:  Yes

Sensitivity:  105 ± 3dB

Standby time:  Up to 10 Days

Titanium band:  Full-Wraparound

Titanium frame:  Full-Wraparound

Type:  Bluetooth 5.1

Warranty:  2 Years

Water resistance:  IP55 (Water-resistant)

Weight:  29 g

Wireless range:  33 feet

 

The Shokz OpenRun Pro came in a great looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box showed a well-protected headphone, held in place by the hard zipper case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal with the titanium frame. Quality of materials used was very good, as was the fit and finish. Also included was the charging cable, hard zipper case, and instructions.

 

I’m really intrigued with the design of the Shokz OpenRun Pro. The bone conduction technology has me very curious how they will perform. I consider myself an audiophile, so I enjoy the small nuances and high level of resolution than an excellent pair of headphones can provide. I’m really curious how well they will perform. Given the around the ear design they are able to employ, so your ears are completely open to be able to hear what is going on around you; I can see how beneficial it would be in many circumstances, being able to hear your music well as being able to hear all that is going on around you. I’m just really curious what the cost in sound quality will be. Along with that, I’m also curious on the amount of bleed-through, if any. In other words, will those around you be able to hear what you are listening to, like the person next to you on an airplane. Given their unique around the ear design, they could be very comfortable to wear on long flights. Let’s see how they perform. 

Mannheim Steamroller: Going to Another Place – strings were crisp and clean, with the cymbals also crisp. Piano sounded natural. Flute had good air and was pleasantly smooth. Drums had good dynamics, and I could feel the beats in my bone. It was tight, but lacked some depth.  New Order: Blue Monday – Bass had nice tight beats that I could feel in my upper cheekbone. It lacked some depth and some output. Vocals were pleasantly smooth with good resolution of the texture from the timbre.  Pink Floyd: Money – the beginning with the coins and the adding machine and ripping the tape off the adding machine, was nice and clean. And it also revealed a wide soundstage. Vocals were smooth with nice harmonics. The sax was nice and raw, with good resolution and texture of the reed. The drums had good dynamics with sufficient depth and decent output.

 

Now it’s time for the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless ANC McLaren Edition. With Klipsch, you get decades upon decades of experience in designing audio products, so you know it’ll sound good. With the McLaren Edition, you not only get the McLaren styling, but it also comes with a wireless charging pad! With an MSRP of only $350, bang for the buck is huge!

Features & Specs:

 

STYLE In-Ear Monitor

DRIVER DESIGN Dynamic Moving Coil Micro Speaker

DRIVER DIAMETER 5.8 mm

MIC/REMOTE Six-mic Beamforming

FREQUENCY RESPONSE 10Hz-19kHz

NOISE ISOLATION -22dB

INPUT CONNECTIONS Bluetooth

BATTERY (EARPIECES) 50 mAh

BATTERY (CHARGING CASE) 360 mAh

BLUETOOTH® SPECIFICATIONS Version: Bluetooth 5.0

Profiles: A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.6, HSP 1.2, HFP 1.7A2DP

Codecs: SBC, AAC® Range: Up to 10m (33ft.)

Input Rating: 5V DC, 1.0A

Battery Status: iOS & Android

WEIGHT Buds: 5.5g (.012 lbs)

Case: 76.9g (.169 lbs)

Buds and Case: 82.4g (.181 lbs)

COLORS Gunmetal, Silver, Copper

 

The Klipsch T5 II TWS ANC McLaren Edition came in a great looking color printed box with photos and specs of IEM’s. Opening the box showed a well-protected IEM held in place in the charging case. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic. Quality of materials used, as was the fit and finish, were excellent. These are Klipsch’s top-of-the-line IEM, and it shows! Also included was the charging case, charging cable and adapter, additional sizes of ear tips, wireless charging pad, and owner’s manual. 

 

I’m extremely impressed with the design end feature set of the Klipsch T5 II TWS ANC. These IEM’s are absolutely loaded! You get the Klipsch patented oval ear tips, to get a better seal for the best sound. There’s IPX4 water resistance rating, so they can handle your exercise routine. There is the Klipsch app so you can control the ANC settings and customize the sound. There is even Dirac built-in for improved clarity and soundstage. If that wasn’t enough, they are even Bragi enabled, this gives you much control with just a nod or movement of your head. For hands free use, there’s dual mics for your calls. I also loved the wireless charging pad! As I said before, just like a McLaren, these are loaded! Now let’s see how they sound.

Mannheim Steamroller: Going to Another Place – strings were extremely crisp and clean. The cymbals were just as crisp, with great resolution to hear both the impact and the decay. Piano sounded very smooth and natural. Flute also had excellent resolution, being able to hear the tonguing technique, was smooth like honey with excellent air. Drums had great dynamics, with a tight deep bass with good authority. New Order: Blue Monday – Bass was very tight and punchy with excellent low end extension, playing very deep with a ton of authority. Snaps were extremely dynamic. Vocals had excellent texture of the timbre.  Pink Floyd: Money – At the beginning, the coins, adding machine and tape ripping from the adding machine was extremely crisp and clean, showing a very wide soundstage. Vocals were smooth like honey with excellent resolution and texture of the reed that even revealed some tonguing. Drums were very dynamic, deep and played with very good authority.

Last but not least is the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport. They are a fairly recent newcomer, being around for almost a decade now. But they have done it right, using premium materials and designs. This helped them quickly made a name for themselves. And at an MSRP of $350 the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport are fairly priced.

 

Features & Specs:

MODEL:  MW08 Sport True Wireless Earphones

DIMENSIONS:  Case: 64.8mm x 48.1mm x 26.8mm

Earphone: 21.19mm x 20.22mm x 25.08mm

DRIVERS:  11mm Beryllium

WEIGHT:  Sport Earphones: 8.6g each, Charging Case: 56g

MATERIALS:  Sapphire glass sport earbuds /Kevlar® fiber case

EARPHONE BATTERY LIFE:  Up to 12 hours playtime / 10 hours with ANC or Ambient Listening

EARPHONE CHARGE TIME:  50% charge in 15 minutes, 100% charge in 45 minutes

MICROPHONE TYPE:  6-microphone talk solution - 3 microphones in each sport earphone

WATERPROOF LEVEL:  Wireless sport earbuds feature an IPX5 water resistance rating, case features IPX4 water resistance rating

ACTIVE NOISE-CANCELLING:  Hybrid ANC sport earbuds with All Day ANC and ANC Max modes

AMBIENT LISTENING MODES:  Awareness Mode, Voice Mode

CHARGING CASE BATTERY LIFE:  30 additional hours of charge, Up to 42 hours total playtime

CHARGING CASE TIME (CABLE):  50% charge in 15 minutes, 100% charge in 60 minutes

CHARGING CASE TIME (WIRELESS):  50% charge in 30 minutes, 100% charge in 100 minutes

CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN SPORT EARPHONES:  Bluetooth 5.2

BLUETOOTH PROFILE:  Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC, SBC, Qualcomm® aptX™ Adaptive, and Qualcomm’s state of the art True Wireless Mirroring technology

CONNECTIVITY DISTANCE:  100ft/30

The Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport came in a great looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the IEM. Opening the box revealed a well-protected IEM, held in place in its charging case. Materials used are mostly metal. The IEMs are made of machined aluminum with shatter resistant sapphire glass. The charging case is made of Kevlar. Quality of materials used, as well as the fit and finish, are excellent! This is their top-of-the-line model and it shows! Also included is the charging case, charging cord and adapter, multiple sets of different sized ear tips, and owner’s manual.

I really liked the design of the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport. They take the features you find in an IEM, and bring them up a level. The mics for hands free calls, you don’t just get two or four, there are six. The ANC gives you two ambient listening modes, for the drivers, they use beryllium in a large 11mm size. The antennas for wireless connectivity are external, for better reception. And then there’s the aluminum and glass for premium build quality. The IPXS water resistance rating, also ensures you are covered for your exercise routine. You can even use each IEM individually, rather than together. This gives you even more battery life. Now let’s see how they sound.

Mannheim Steamroller:  Going to Another Place – strings were so crisp and clean they were life-like, as was the cymbals, with excellent resolution to hear the decay. Piano sounded extremely natural. Flute was silky smooth, with such good resolution you could hear the tonguing technique and revealed excellent air. Drums had excellent dynamic, were nice and tight with excellent low-end extension that played with very good authority.  New Order: Blue Monday – Bass was not only tight and clean, it hit like a sledgehammer! It played very deep with excellent authority. Snaps were also very dynamic. Vocals were smooth like honey, with excellent harmonics and texture of the timbre. Pink Floyd:    Money – The beginning with the coins and the ripping of the tape and adding machine were extremely crisp and clean, and revealed a very wide soundstage. Vocals were silky smooth with excellent harmonics and resolution. The sax sounded nice and raw, with excellent resolution of the reed and the tonguing technique. Drums were extremely dynamic with excellent low-end extension and authority.

For Bluetooth performance, our reference test is really quite unfair really, as most don’t fully pass it.  It’s designed to test just how far you can push the Bluetooth reception.  Most manufacturers rate the Bluetooth performance pretty conservatively, usually to 30ft of open space, some will rate it up to 100ft.  Our test is designed to take the headphones past their limits, to see at what point they will lose signal.  We start with them paired to our LG V40 ThinQ smartphone in one corner of our basement.  We then walk around the basement to test for any drop in signal.  This is followed up with walking from the basement up to the main floor, and then up to the 2^nd floor.  Lastly, we take it outside and walk out to 250 feet to see at what point the signal is dropped. 

For the 1More ComfoBuds Z, they did great in basement, didn’t like 2nd floor, and 3rd floor not really usable. Out to 175 ft no problems, stopped at 200 ft.  The Jabra Elite 4 did great in basement, didn’t like 2nd floor and not really usable on 3rd floor. Got out to around 210 ft and then lost signal. Slightly better than 1More ComfoBuds Z in performance.  Shokz OpenRun Pro had similar performance to the Jabra. They did great in the basement, didn’t like the 2nd floor, and 3rd floor not usable. Didn’t get glitchy until around 250 ft outside.  Klipsch’s T5 II ANC McLaren Edition performed perfectly in the basement, and was a little glitchy on the main floor but still usable.  It beat out the others just a bit on the 2^nd floor, but still wasn’t usable. They also lasted out to 210ft without any hiccups, and usable out to 225ft. The Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport performed excellent in the basement, no hiccups on the main floor. They only sputtered a few times on the 2nd floor, and went out to 250 ft no problems.

For Active Noise Cancelling performance, they performed fairly similar thru the app.  The Jabra Elite 4 Active, Klipsch T5 II ANC McLaren Edition, and the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport have an app that not only allows you to tailor the sound to your liking, it also lets you toggle thru the Hear Thru option and ANC option.  They all performed very well with the Hear Thru feature really pulling in all the sounds that are going on around you.  With the Hear Thru and ANC turned off, you also hear the high amount of attenuation they all similarly provide.  When it came to the ANC, the Jabra Elite 4 Active eliminated about 80%, while the Klipsch T5 II ANC McLaren took out closer to 90%.  The Master & Dynamic performed just a hair better at just over 90%. 

As with March Madness, sometimes a low seed surprises a higher seed and performs better than expected.  Sometimes that also happens with our annual Headphone Shootout. This year’s Headphone Shootout turned out to not have any surprises.  The higher the price, the better the performance.  1More has become known for a good bang for the buck, and the ComfoBuds Z proved to fit the mold with an MSRP of only $99, and the provided balanced armatures were tuned well, with an overall neutral sound that was just a bit on the warm side.  The Jabra Elite 4 Active raised the stakes a bit more with an amazing tuning job, with the most neutral sound of the mix. Highs were also crisp and clean with good low-end extension, and output.  The Shokz OpenRun Pro had a pretty neutral sound overall, and being a bit on the warm side. They lacked a little of the resolution from the highs and mids and lacked the bass depth and output, due to its bone conduction design. But for the design, I was shocked at their quality of sound and musicality! For the convenience of the design, you still get great tunes!  Klipsch’s T5 II ANC McLaren Edition – sound was overall neutral, being just a hair on the bright side. Soundstage was exceptionally wide with exceptional resolution. Bass played very deep and with very good output. Master & Dynamic – the beryllium drivers proved to be real performers, and were tuned extremely well! They had an overall neutral sound that was maybe just a hair on the warm side. Resolution was excellent, and they had the best bass response, playing with a full deep base with a ton of authority.

These were some great headphones this year.  Some of them had unique features, like the 1More ComfoBuds Z being extra slim to help you go to sleep, and the Shokz OpenRun Pro having the bone conduction open design.  The Jabra Elite 4 Active bringing ANC to only $120 price point is a jaw dropper.  The Klipsch T5 II ANC McLaren Edition continued with the sound Klipsch is known for with some top of the line previously unheard-of features for an IEM, and the included wireless charging pad was just icing on the cake!  And the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport showcased their luxurious aluminum with sapphire glass, keeping true to the company’s name.  No matter your budget, any of these IEM’s should be on your short list.  Based on their design, features, quality, and performance, the 1More ComfoBuds Z has earned our Value Award, the Jabra Elite Active 4 and the Shokz OpenRun Pro have earned our Highly Recommended Award, and the Klipsch T5 II ANC McLaren Edition and Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport have earned our Editor’s Choice Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.1more.com, www.jabra.com, www.shokz.com, www.klipsch.com, www.masterdynamic.com.

Sennheiser's Latest IE 600 is Exceptional in Every Detail

Exceptional in every detail

Sennheiser’s new IE 600 breaks new ground for neutral sound reproduction Old Lyme, March 2, 2022 – For sophisticated audiophiles, the tiniest details count. With the new Sennheiser IE 600, a lifetime of listening pleasure starts at an atomic level in the specific materials used to create its ultra-tough earphone housings, while meticulous craftsmanship and tuning ensure an exquisitely natural sound.     Through a patented 3D printing process, the housings of the IE 600 have been crafted from ZR01 amorphous zirconium, a metal with a glass-like atomic structure that gives it triple the hardness and bend resistance of high-performance steel. One of the only other places ZR01 amorphous zirconium is used — besides ultra-high-end products like the IE 600 — is in the aerospace industry, such as in the drilling head of the NASA Mars Rover, where ultimate toughness in extreme conditions is required. Through multiple elaborate treatment processes, a beautiful surface finish is achieved that is extraordinarily resistant against corrosion and scratches. This exceptional resilience ensures the IE 600 can be enjoyed for many years while its distinctive great looks remain undiminished. The IE 600 also benefits from the meticulous manufacturing process that is the hallmark of Sennheiser’s IE audiophile earphone family. Designed in Germany, they are manufactured at Sonova Consumer Hearing's state-of-the-art transducer production facilities in Ireland to the very highest standards. One of the most advanced production lines of its type in the world, this manufacturing facility has a singular purpose: to exceed the expectations of audiophiles with the highest manufacturing standards, like industry-leading channel matching. With ultimate protection against corrosion and marks from wear, the IE 600 was designed to keep delivering flawless acoustic — and visual — joy for decades. “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 for 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.” Bring your music closer Just as distinctive is the IE 600’s exceptional sound performance, with an innovative acoustic back volume and precision-molded resonator chambers. This voicing lends a presence and intimacy that brings listeners closer to the music, allowing them to discover new accents and details. The nozzle houses dual resonator chambers that are the key to the earphones’ high-fidelity sound. Precisely formed to tight tolerances, these chambers make even the finest textures of a listener’s music audible by eliminating masking resonances that – in lesser headphones – can obscure higher frequencies. The IE 600 achieves exceptional, virtually distortion-free reproduction of music thanks to Sennheiser’s TrueResponse transducer, a single 7 mm driver responsible for the extra-wide frequency range and ultra-low distortion of these earphones. Within the IE 600, this system and the acoustic back volume has been tuned for a tonally neutral, intimate and emotional sound. This ensures a true-to-life voicing that is especially expressive for vocal performances. The acoustic system has also been optimized to produce a steep bass slope resulting in a powerful yet fast and accurate low-end response. A tailored fit The IE 600 packs big sound into a small, ergonomic package. The gold-plated MMCX connectors are recessed in its housing for greater stability and guidance. They support cable diameters of 4.8 mm and smaller, allowing listeners to plug into a wide range of audio sources as well as hi-fi components with balanced outputs. To allow the choice between para-aramid reinforced unbalanced and balanced cables, both 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm sizes are included with the IE 600. Two different styles of earbud tips — silicone and memory foam — provided in three sizes will establish a comfortable seal in any ear, while flexible, adjustable ear hooks further enhance the long-lasting comfort for extended listening sessions. The Sennheiser IE 600 will be available this Spring/Summer for 699.95 USD (MSRP).

Kingston FURY Releases DDR5 SODIMMs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kingston FURY Releases DDR5 SODIMMs

 

• Small Form Factor, Mighty Performance
• Intel XMP 3.0 Certified Kit Capacities Up To 64GB

 

Fountain Valley, CA – March 1, 2022– Kingston FURY, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, announces the release of Kingston FURY™ Impact DDR5 SODIMMs. Perfect for the gamer or PC enthusiast who want the latest cutting-edge performance from their laptop or small form factor machine.

Kingston FURY Impact DDR5 is fifty percent faster than DDR4 to provide a boost in gaming, rendering, and multitasking, while its low power consumption and increased efficiency keeps your system cool at 1.1V. Available in Intel® XMP 3.0 Certified SODIMM kit capacities up to 64GB, Kingston FURY Impact DDR5 packs all the enhanced features of DDR5 into a slim, compact form factor. With innovative Plug N Play¹ overclocking technology and on-die ECC, it automatically supports 4800MT/s² at lower latencies than standard DDR5-4800. Thus, improving system performance without having to enable a profile and maintains data integrity while hitting extreme speeds.

“We’re thrilled to be expanding our line of high-performance DDR5 memory with Kingston FURY Impact DDR5 SODIMMs,” said Kristy Ernt, DRAM business manager, Kingston. “Gamers and content creators can now experience the power of DDR5 on both desktops and laptops.”

Kingston FURY Impact DDR5 is available in single modules up to 32GB and kits of 2 up to 64GB and backed by a limited lifetime warranty and over 30 years of expertise.

For more information visit kingston.com/gaming.

 

Kingston FURY Impact DDR5 Features and Specifications

• Mighty DDR5 SODIMM Performance: 50% faster than DDR4 for a boost in gaming, rendering, and multitasking.
• Plug N Play Automatic Overclocking Functionality¹: Kingston FURY Impact DDR5 automatically overclocks to the highest listed speed.
• Intel® XMP 3.0 Certified: Maximize memory performance with advanced pre-optimized timings, speed and voltage for overclocking.
• Lower Power Consumption, Increased Efficiency: Keep your system cool and efficient with Impact DDR5’s low 1.1V power draw.
• Improved Stability with On-Die ECC: Maintain data integrity while hitting overclocking speeds.

• Capacities:
  • Singles: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB                                                         
  • Kit of 2: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB                                                                     

• Frequencies^{1 2}:  4800MT/s
• Latencies:           CL38                                   
• Voltage:              1.1V                     
• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 85°C
• Dimensions:       69.6mm x 30mm

 

¹ Kingston FURY Plug N Play memory will run in DDR5 systems up to the speed allowed by the manufacturer’s system BIOS. PnP cannot increase the system memory speed faster than is allowed by the manufacturer’s BIOS. Kingston FURY Plug N Play DDR5 products support XMP 3.0 specifications so overclocking can also be achieved by enabling the built-in XMP Profile.

 

² Learn more about megatransfers per second - MT/s denotes megatransfers (million transfers) per second and represents the effective data rate (speed) of DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM memory in computing. A DDR SDRAM memory module transfers data on the rise and fall of every clock cycle (1 Hz).

Ex: DDR4-3200 (PC4-3200)

Clock Rate: 1600MHz

Data Rate: 3200MT/s

Bandwidth: 25,600 MB/s (25.6 GB/s)

 

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Twitter                 Kingston Is With You

 

About Kingston Technology Company, Inc.

From big data, to laptops and PCs, to IoT-based devices like smart and wearable technology, to design-in and contract manufacturing, Kingston helps deliver the solutions used to live, work and play. The world’s largest PC makers and cloud-hosting companies depend on Kingston for their manufacturing needs, and our passion fuels the technology the world uses every day. We strive beyond our products to see the bigger picture, to meet the needs of our customers and offer solutions that make a difference. To learn more about how Kingston Is With You, visit Kingston.com.

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Kingston and the Kingston logo are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. IronKey is a registered trademark of Kingston Digital, Inc. Kingston FURY and the Kingston FURY logo are trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.