Sennheiser Reveals Rugged New High-End Earbuds

Sennheiser has introduced its new IE 600 pair of earbuds with housings made out of a special metal that aims to ensure the device's longevity.

According to Sennheiser, the metal is called ZR01 amorphous zirconium, which is used for drill bits in the aerospace industry thanks to its exceptional level of hardness. Inside the rugged housing sits the company's TrueResponse transducer and MMCX connectors which are designed to produce a high-quality sound.

Sennheiser chose amorphous zirconium over something more typical because of how resistant the metal is to erosion. Sennheiser said it intends for the IE 600 to be used for decades after purchase while maintaining high-quality sound. Of course, the earbuds command a pretty high price because the metal is less common.

The IE 600 will set you back $700 when released later this year. Sennheiser admits the IE 600 is meant more for "sophisticated audiophiles," or people who value high-quality materials and sound in their earphones.

The TrueResponse transducer, a tiny 7-mm driver that outputs big sound, sits inside the earbuds. The driver has a high range of frequency and has been specially developed to have no annoying distortion.

Other notable features include a gold-plated MMCX connector for stability and the ability to remove the IE 600 from the connectors. You can then attach the earbuds to other cables with a diameter of 4.8 mm or less.

Different types of earbud tips in three sizes, adjustable ear hooks, and two balanced/unbalanced cables will be included in the IE 600 package upon launch.