Positioned as the midpoint between Sennheiser’s flagship IE 900s and more basic IE 300s, the newly introduced IE 600 audiophile earbuds are set to debut this spring/summer, as one of the first products resulting from Sennheiser Group’s recent transfer of its Consumer Electronics division to Sonova Holding AG, an entity known for its hearing solutions.
Designed in Germany, the IE 600s are manufactured at Sonova Consumer Hearing’s transducer production facilities in Ireland with a patented 3D printing process that uses ZR01 amorphous zirconium. The metal has a glass-like atomic structure and is perhaps best known for having been used for the drilling head of the NASA Mars Rover. The metal is said to give the IE 600s triple the hardness and bend resistance of high-performance steel.
The IE 600s are built around acoustic back volume and precision-moulded resonator chambers; this voicing is intended to provide presence and intimacy for listeners. The nozzle houses dual resonator chambers that are formed to tight tolerances, aiming to eliminate masking resonances.
The IE 600 also features Sennheiser’s TrueResponse transducer, a single 7 mm driver responsible said to provide “extra-wide frequency range and ultra-low distortion.” Within the IE 600, this system and the acoustic back volume have been tuned with an eye towards tonally neutral sound. The acoustic system has also reportedly been optimized to produce a steep bass slope to aid low-end response.
The gold-plated MMCX connectors are recessed in the housing, and support cable diameters of 4.8 mm and smaller, allowing listeners to plug into various 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 — are provided in three sizes.
