The prestigious South Korean firm Astell&Kern has given a new example of its radical commitment to unmitigated excellence with the Odysseysome extremely sophisticated in-ear headphones intended to redefine what is possible in sonic naturalness for products in their class. Developed jointly with the American brand Empire Ears and built entirely by handThe Odyssey combines a brilliant multi-laminate design with the most advanced technologies to deliver clear, precise and powerful sound. Especially significant in this regard is the revolutionary 10 Quadbrid transducer systemconsisting of 2 W9+ subwoofers, 5 Balanced Armature (BA) type transducers, 2 electrostatic transducers and 1 W10 Bone Conductor type transducer (which guides sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull and makes it possible for the listener perceives audio content without blocking their ear canal).
This system is complemented by a synX 7-way filter network and a EIVEC MKII scheme (Empire Intelligent Variable Electrostatic Control) that allows them to maintain perfect coherence and tonal precision throughout a frequency response curve from 5 to 100,000 Hz. The Odyssey also includes the Empire’s exclusive Dual Conduction Architecture, a revolutionary method that allows sound reproduction through air and bone conduction, maximizing the listener’s immersion in exceptionally pure sound. Also in the aesthetic field, the new Astell&Kern in-ear headphones make a difference, as their front panel is based on the key principles of Enigmaembodied in a uniquely configured dichroic design painstakingly handcrafted with nine individual polymer layers applied in three meticulous lamination steps.
The result is a absolutely stunning product, with color transitions as the viewing angle changes. In the words of Dean Vang, founder of Empire Ears, “The Odysseys have been a extraordinary adventure in engineering, to the point that they have forced me to focus on new technologies and unconventional processes. The idea was to build in-ear monitors worthy of displaying the names of both Empire Ears and Astell&Kern. No half measures. No commitments. We had to use everything available in our arsenal to break new barriers.”
