Astell & Kern x Beyerdynamic – T9ie

 

Astell & Kern

The Korean DAP manufacturer Astell & Kern x Beyerdynamic – T9ie has been around since 2014 and has been since then the driving force in reinventing the portable audio player market.

Ever since their first product, the AK100, they have been on a mission to make the best possible DAPs, and if you ask me, they have succeeded.

A&K is a subsidiary of the famous iRiver brand, which is now called Dreams. The company that rose to fame with their excellent and wildly popular mp3 players. With that extensive knowledge, they have launched an uber-high-end brand for the niche market that is headphone enthusiasts.

Astell & Kern not only brings portable audio players, alone, no, but they have also been collaborating with other big industry players such as Crystal Cables, Beyerdynamic, and Jerry Harvey Audio. 

They have released a number of cables, headphones, and In-Ear Monitors with these three brands, and continue to do so.

Together with Beyerdynamic, Astell & Kern has brought out headphones like the AK T5p, AK T1p, or In-Ear Monitors like the AK T8iE and now its successor – the AK T9iE.

 

About Astell & Kern x Beyerdynamic – T9ie

The AK T9iE is a single dynamic driver universal earphone. There is no mention of the driver size on Astell & Kern’s website, it is around eight to ten millimeters.

it has a rated impedance of 16 Ohms and a frequency response of 8Hz – 48kHz. T9iE to be relatively normal to drive. It doesn’t need any excessive power to reach high volumes, nor does it get loud at low settings.

The housing of the AK T9iE is made of ceramic, just like the T8iE. The T9iE uses a newly developed acoustic chamber design.

Beyerdynamic gave the T9iE a bigger vent for pressure exhaustion, which is said to have resulted in a very deep and well-controlled low end. The T9iE has a dual-layer grill-filter system at the nozzle. This not only protects the driver from ear wax but also serves the purpose of an acoustic filter.

The AK T9iE uses Beyerdynamic’s patented high-efficiency Tesla Technology and comes with a new eight-wire cable. This cable is made of Silver Plated single crystal copper and single crystal copper wires.

 

Build Quality and Comfort

Let’s start with comfort because this is hands-down the most comfortable universal IEM, together with the AK T8iE. It sits so very well in the ears and with the ergonomic tips, it’s just like there’s nothing there at all.

From a build quality perspective, these are very nice. They consist of three separate parts. The bottom shell, the top shell, and the faceplate. The top and bottom shells are in the same gunmetal color, but the faceplate is slightly lighter. 

The entire body is pretty shiny and if you are worried about getting your smudgy fingerprints on there, you should be. Because the AK T9iE shows you every little bit of dirt and leaving prints on it is very easy. 

• The T9iE comes with an MMCX connection, so you can cable roll if you have a suitable cable on hand. The original AK T8iE had massive problems with its MMCX sockets.

 

Astell & Kern x Beyerdynamic – T9ie Soundstage

A relatively big stage, approximating the spaciousness of something like the Andromeda, though perhaps not as grand. But because the AK T9iE is so clean and well defined, the imaging is fantastic. Precise, with a very multidimensional feel, the soundstage echoes the other elements of this IEM; skills with no frills.

 

Last Thought about Astell & Kern x Beyerdynamic – T9ie

If you’re looking for a solid earphone with impressive lows, a thick bass response, and detail that just doesn’t quit, look no further. Just Grab it. it’s an impressive sound and one that doesn’t skip on the fun.  If you’re into rock, hip-hop, or electronica, you’re going to dig this sound.

Astell & Kern x Beyerdynamic – T9ie Specifications

Transducer Type	Dynamic, Moving-Coil
Operation Principle	Closed
Frequency Response	8 – 48,000Hz (TBD)
Impedance	16 Ohm
Total Harmonic Distortion	< 0.2%
Power Handling Capacity	10mW
Sound Coupling to the Ear	Intra-aural
Cables	4N pure silver and 7N Copper hybrid 2.5mm 4-pole cable, 2.5mm to 3.5mm interconnector