Sennheiser has launched a new set of audiophile-grade wired in-ear monitors, the IE 600, very much intended as a sort of counterpoint to the IE 900 it released in 2021, and offering a specifically balanced response.
The earbuds are coated in space-age amorphous zirconium, a metal that Sennheiser says should up the durability and long-lasting good looks of the earbuds even if you're a little rough with them. That's heartening given the €700 price tag that's attached.
The whole earbud is designed around carefully-calibrated chambers to ensure accurate sound reproduction from its 7mm driver, and the neutrality that results is something you don't come across in an earbud very often.
It means that if you're able to listen in a place without background noise you should get the sort of accuracy normally reserved for over-ear headphones.
The IE 600 will come with both 3.5 and 4.5mm jacks to let you connect how you like, while it'll also have both foam and silicone earbud tips to similarly let you get a fit that you're comfortable with.
The earbuds should release in the next few months, but aren't intended as a replacement for the IE 900. Rather, Sennheiser has indicated that they'll simply offer different sound profiles for different tastes. Audiophiles won't be surprised to learn that they might need to get both to decide which they really prefer.