Astell&Kern, a global leader in high-resolution audio playback devices and accessories, announces a new collaboration with Empire Ears to produce in-ear monitors (IEMs) under the Astell&Kern brand. The latest collaboration with Empire Ears expands Astell&Kern’s already extensive partnerships with premier headphone and In-Ear Monitor (IEM) manufacturers. The limited-edition Odyssey will be sold exclusively by Astell&Kern dealers worldwide for $3,399 in November 2022 and will be available in limited quantities.
Astell&Kern is always challenging the possibilities of infinite sound and striving for purest sound imaginable. Empire Ears is an uncompromising and prestigious manufacturer of IEMs that combine innovative design with the latest technology. Our two legacies are proof that attention to detail and visionary innovation conceive magnificent design. Together, Astell&Kern and Empire Ears collaborated to create Odyssey, a new IEM that exhibits the world class sound found in both Astell&Kern and Empire Ears flagship products.
Empire Ears’ never-ending pursuit of the extraordinary drove them to build an IEM that is unashamedly without compromise. Nothing else matters, but the most immersive listening experience. With technology harnessed from the Odin and Legend EVO IEM lines, Empire Ears has distilled everything they’ve learned into this epic collaboration to create the next generation in-ear monitor, Odyssey.
Quadbrid Design
At its core, Odyssey features a proprietary Quadbrid system composed of twin W9+ Subwoofers, 5 balanced Armature drivers, dual Electrostatics and a W10 Bone Conductor driver. The 7-way synX cross over network and EIVEC MKII Engine harmonize all 10 drivers of the Quadbrid system, ensuring perfect coherence and timing throughout its remarkable 5Hz – 100KHz frequency response range.
Empire Ears develops and builds several of their drivers rather than outsourcing them from other manufacturers. Designing bespoke high-performance drivers in-house gives them the freedom to develop record-breaking technology unrestricted by industry limitations or compromises. The Odyssey is proof of concept of the incredible engineering at Empire Ears. The Odyssey boasts four of the latest and most advanced IEM driver technologies available:
- Dual W9+ Drivers - Legendary, unparalleled bass reproduction is made possible by Empire Ears purpose-built, W9+ subwoofers
- Five Balanced Armature Drivers - Custom spec’d Knowles and Sonion balanced armatures are commissioned with a single-minded purpose of reproducing only the most pure, breathtaking mid-range frequencies
- Dual Electrostatic Tweeters - Distortion-free, lightning-fast transient response and hyper treble extension from Sonion electrostatic drivers ensure unparalleled transparency
- W10 Drivers - Otherworldly imaging, nuance retrieval and timbre are achieved via bone conduction from our W10 Bone Conduction Ultra Driver.
Dual Conduction Architecture
The no-compromise philosophy of Empire Ears inspired the development of their Dual Conduction Architecture for IEMs – a revolutionary method of audio reproduction through both air and bone conduction to maximize listener immersion with a sound that you cannot only hear but feel, guaranteeing the purest experience possible. The Odyssey fully exploits the best of both worlds with its pioneering Dual Conduction Architecture (DCA). A full range 5Hz-100kHz frequency response is delivered via air conduction from the dual W9+ subwoofers, five balanced armatures and dual electrostatics while imaging, soundstage, detail retrieval, low frequency extension and reverb is extraordinarily enhanced from 5Hz-40kHz via bone conduction from the W10. Using DCA and Empire’s masterful tuning the Odyssey reproduces the most immersive, pure, and stereophonic sound possible.
synX Crossover Technology
Genetically dissimilar from the rest of the IEM world, Empire Ears synX crossover network truly stands out with countless bespoke methods and technologies protecting it as a unique masterpiece. A marriage of 4 different driver technologies become symphonized by a unique, proprietary 7-way synX crossover network designed to maximize performance from each and every driver.
EIVEC MKII
The all-new EIVEC MKII engine was developed specifically for Odyssey to ensure optimal timing, phasing, and control between the electrostatic and bone conduction drivers – a monumental achievement. Empire Intelligent Variable Electrostatic Control – EIVEC - is Empire’s approach to incorporating electrostatic EST drivers into IEMs. For all the incredible range and resolution, electrostatic drivers are notoriously hard to control, often overpowering other drivers. EIVEC is our solution to that, and the degree of control provided by EIVEC is so precise that the electrostatics can operate independently, performing disparate tasks within the sound stage to deliver layer upon layer of detail and texture for unparalleled performance.
A.R.C. Treated Chassis
ARC (Anti-Resonance Compound) is a proprietary conformal coating that virtually eliminates unwanted vibrations and resonance from within IEMs. This eliminates any unwanted sound and allows the tone of the drivers to be as pure as possible.
Dual Tri-Port Exhausts
Due to the nature of the W10’s extreme output the enclosure’s air volume and vent design were especially crucial for proper tuning. Even the slightest change in diameter and positioning had a dramatic effect on sound quality and performance. By mastering the W10’s volume requirements we’re able to harness its optimal output, capabilities, and potential.
ENIGMA – A Visual Masterpiece
Enigma is an ultra-exclusive, one-of-a-kind dichroic faceplate that features nine individual polymer layers in three proprietary lamination steps. Each lamination is unique in its ability to filter and reflect specific wavelengths of light. This results in a faceplate that will produce breathtaking color transitions as the viewing angle changes -- literally shifting before your very eye. Enigma is masterfully handcrafted in the USA by an award-winning chemist that currently holds two patents in polymer science for high solids coating chemistry.
Ares II Cable
Odyssey is bundled with an Effect Audio Ares II cable which boasts a proprietary multi-size stranded 26 AWG UPOCC Litz copper with Ultra FlexiTM Insulation for maximum signal speed transmission, performance, and ergonomics. Each Ares II is terminated with an ultra-premium 4.4 Pentaconn connector.
Odyssey is designed, engineered, and handcrafted at the Empire Ears facility in Atlanta, Georgia USA, where 5,000 square feet is reserved exclusively for this collaboration. Each stage of Odyssey’s production is hand-built by one master technician and engineer and passed onto the next, guiding each pair along its journey to completion through 10 stations for a total of 9 hands-on hours per set.
Accessories included with Odyssey are 4.4mm to 3.5mm Pentaconn adapter, five (5) pairs of Final Audio E-Type Tips (XS/S/M/L/XL) with Aluminum Tip tray, Pandora V2 CNC anodized black aluminum case, Cleaning Tool and EE X AK Microfiber Cloth.
The limited-edition Odyssey will be sold exclusively by Astell&Kern dealers worldwide for $3,399 in November 2022 and will be available in limited quantities.
