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Today a wide range of balanced armature in-ear headphones were announced by Sony Asia Pacific. 11 new models were announced, including several models that Sony is specifically targeting audiophiles with. The following four models are audiophile-targeted:
- Sony XBA-1, which use one single balanced armature driver per side. (Single Balanced Armature Full Range)
Sony XBA-1
- Sony XBA-2, which uses two balanced armature drivers per side. (Dual Balanced Armature Full Range + Woofer)
Sony XBA-2
- Sony XBA-3, which uses three balanced armature drivers per side. (Triple Balanced Armature Full Range + Woofer + Tweeter)
Sony XBA-3
- Sony XBA-4, which uses four balanced armature drivers per side. (Quad Balanced Armature Full Range + Woofer + Tweeter + Super Woofer)
Sony XBA-4
The number of drivers per side is easily identified by the number of dots on each earpiece.
All four of the above models are also available in 3-button mic/remote versions (for use with iPhones), and are called the XBA-1ip, XBA-2ip, XBA-3ip, XBA-4ip.
Also announced were the following models:
- Sony XBA-BT75, which is a wireless (Bluetooth) model with a single balanced armature driver per side. Playtime per charge is 3.5 hours, and the XBA-BT75 includes a smart charger in the included battery charging case.
Sony XBA-BT75
- Sony XBA-NC85D, which is an active noise-canceling, box-free design. Sony bills the XBA-NC85D as the World’s Smallest and Lightest Digital Noise-Cancelling Headphones. The XBA-NC85D has a smart charger with USB interface.
Sony XBA-NC85D
- Sony XBA-S65/B, which is an active sports in-ear headphone that's water-resistant, sweat-resistant, and washable. For fit, the ear loops are adjustable. The XBA-NC85D uses a single balanced armature driver per side.
Seven new balanced armature models (with 11 total SKUs, including the iPhone models) in one fell swoop is an ambitious move from Sony. I'll be particularly interested in hearing how well they've pulled off the multi-armature designs, in terms of cohesiveness across the different drivers.
These new models are going to be available in the Asian markets beginning November 2011. I haven't seen pricing information yet, nor have I seen any information indicating when these models will be available outside of Asia. I'll report back when I find out more about pricing and availability.
To read Sony Asia Pacific's full press release on these models, please click here.
There's a discussion in the Head-Fi forums about these new models here.