Skip to main content

Ultimate Ears debuts two custom in-ears and gives the rest of the line a tune-up

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ultimate Ears might arguably be best known for its wireless speakers, but the company also makes some very good in-ear monitors. Now the company has introduced two new custom in-ear monitors (CIEMs), including a new flagship model, the Ultimate Ears Live, that it says is its most advanced model to date. It has also given the rest of its CIEM lineup an upgrade for good measure.

Recommended Videos

While you can certainly use these monitors for listening to music at home, they’re meant for working musicians and audio professionals, so they need to stand up to the rigors of the road. For this purpose, Ultimate Ears teamed with Estron A/S to develop the IPX connection system, which is not lightweight and durable, but IP67 certified sweat proof. All of the company’s CIEM lineup, including the new Ultimate Ears Live and Ultimate Ears 6 Pro, use this connection system.

“Our intention when designing our new flagship model was to create not only the best sound, but also the most reliable monitor possible,” Ultimate Ears vice president and general manager Philippe Depallens said in a statement. “With UE Live, you’re getting our best: pure, raw stage energy. We also needed a sweat-proof and tour-proof cable system, so we co-developed a solution from the ground up with a company that specializes in hearing aid and medical-grade cables. The UE IPX Connection System was designed to handle everything a musician deals with nightly — sweat, makeup, hairspray, humidity, set up, break down and travel.”

Both the Ultimate Ears Live and Ultimate Ears Pro 6 use the company’s patented hybrid acoustic architecture. The UE Live uses six balanced armatures, a single dynamic driver, and the True Tone Plus, which the company says is an upgraded version of its True Tone drivers. The UE 6 Pro uses two dynamic drivers for bass and mids, along with an original True Tone driver for the highs.

The Ultimate Ears Live and 6 Pro are both expected to ship beginning in early May. They’re currently available for pre-order on the Ultimate Ears website, with the UE Live priced at $2,200 and the UE 6 pro at $700. If these don’t quite seem like the right fit for you, take a look at our list of the best headphones you can buy.

Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
I saw the future of AI on Netflix. It skips hype and finds a purpose
AI features in Netflix on TV.

When you think of AI, names like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI pop up in your mind. Netflix, the world’s biggest streaming platform, doesn’t quite sound like the right platform where you would expect something like a generative AI chatbot — having gobbled up the entire world’s knowledge — to show up. 

After all, you log on to Netflix for watching films and TV shows. Maybe, a few short clips. Or play games, even. Yet, Netflix has made a historically deep bet on tools such as machine learning in a variety of ways, and especially to fine-tune its recommendation algorithm. 

Read more
Save 22% on the UE Wonderboom 4 speaker when you purchase today
A man and woman using the UE Wonderboom 4.

Now that summer is just around the corner, it’s time to pack that surfboard and hit the beach with all your best pals! And what better way to reign in the good vibes than with your favorite playlist? Sounds like you should be looking at one of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market!

Fortunately, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 Bluetooth Speaker is on sale this week for only $78, a $22 discount from its $100 retail price. Purchase at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target to take advantage of this offer. 

Read more
Spotify’s new Snooze feature lets you take a break from overplayed songs
An iPhone sitting on a bedside table with the Discover Weekly playlist on its screen.

Spotify is known for its best-in-class recommendations algorithm, but it also has a ton of features to keep users in control of their music. Yesterday, the company announced a couple of new buttons and settings that will make it even easier to keep your playlists as you want them -- including a new Snooze feature that gives you a 30-day break from songs you've been hearing too much.

As good as Spotify's algorithm is, we've all noticed those songs that get played three times in one day and keep popping back up for the rest of the week. With the new Snooze feature, Premium users can choose to take a break from songs they hear too often for a whole 30 days. During that time, it won't appear anywhere in your recommendations -- and with any luck, you'll be happy to hear it again when the 30 days are up. If not, you can just snooze it again.

Read more