It seems like it has been a while since the “driver wars” of the 2010s had hit any big headlines. For those who don’t follow the high end IEM market (in-ear monitor), balanced armature drivers started out as the preferred tech for hearing aids, and were later adopted by the audiophile and professional touring musician markets for more high performance audio reproduction on stage and on the go. As things progressed, more and more drivers were squeezed into the expensive models until the late 2010s, where things settled down just a bit.
After which the marketing talking points switched back to new technologies, and “hybrid” designs incorporating a combination of the more traditional dynamic driver and/or electrostatic options. With the announcement of Ultimate Ears newest flagship the UE Premier, it appears the search for better sound once again is moving to a numbers game with a whopping 21 drivers per side, partnered with BA brand Knowles and a passive 5 way crossover system.
The new UE Premier is available as of today and retails for $2,999.
More info in the press release:
“Boasting a frequency range of 5Hz-40kHz, UE PREMIER are UE Pro’s most powerful, nuanced and versatile in-ear monitors to date. For music lovers and audiophiles that want to listen to music with the best possible playback, UE PREMIER sets a new gold standard for exceptional sound quality.
Each of UE PREMIER’s 21 drivers was chosen in the pursuit of audio excellence. Working in tandem with a five-way passive crossover, each driver was carefully selected and individually tuned to efficiently and accurately reproduce different frequency bands across the audio spectrum.
To extend the frequency range down to 5hZ and ensure a low-end listeners can feel without compromising on size, UE Pro designed two dual sub-low drivers in parallel with four dual mid-low drivers. A quad-mid driver provides unmatched nuance, clarity and adaptability no matter the instrument, genre or listening environment.
UE Pro’s proprietary True Tone driver and Knowles’ proprietary Quad Super Tweeter extends the frequency range up to 40,000 kHz, delivering the richness and warmth from upper-register harmonics.
UE PREMIER is available now at pro.ultimateears.com in the USA and internationally through Ultimate Ears Pro’s dealer distribution network for $2,999.
“Building upon the success of the groundbreaking UE LIVE, we wanted to push ourselves to the limit of what was previously thought possible,” said Philippe Depallens, VP & General Manager, Ultimate Ears Pro. “Our team of experts embarked on a mission to take our technology further than ever before. UE PREMIER represents the pinnacle of UE Pro innovation, with immersive studio-quality sound that brings even the most intricate details into focus.”
Learn more at pro.ultimateears.com.”