Sapphire

Eminent Ears - Sapphire

Eminent Ears has launched the second project of their Gemstone Series, with the finished product being SAPPHIRE, slated for release at the end of 2024. As the newest member of the Gemstone Series, the goal with SAPPHIRE is to create an IEM that complements RUBY — a set of in-ear monitors that offers a more relaxed treble and places a higher emphasis on bass technicalities and texture.

Shell Design

Among various gemstones, sapphire represents wisdom, honesty, and loyalty. In the minds of the designers at Eminent Ears, SAPPHIRE is a refined variation that has been adjusted based on feedback from our supporters, building upon the tuning of RUBY. SAPPHIRE not only reflects Eminent Ears' growth through knowledge gained from audiophiles around the world but also serves as a testament to the collaboration between Eminent Ears and the community.

The primary color of SAPPHIRE is a soothing shade of blue, symbolizing purity, rationality, and elegance. This color design aligns with the tuning direction of SAPPHIRE. The entire panel exudes a brilliant and sparkling quality, representing the idea that feedback and knowledge from the community's fans are the driving force and core of Eminent Ears.

Aside from the blue faceplate, the designer has chosen a combination of clear resin and rhinestones for the body of SAPPHIRE, complementing the colorway of the faceplate. This design allows the drivers to be easily seen, sparkling as they appear suspended in a sea of stars.

Community-Driven Tranquility

Earlier this year, Eminent Ears launched RUBY, with the initial goal of “creating a top-tier IEM designed for everyone.” While they believe they achieved this goal and consider the launch a success, feedback from the community inspired a new idea: to “create a variation of RUBY for extended listening, while making it even more accessible for everyone to enjoy.”

After months of idea crafting and experimentation, SAPPHIRE has emerged from our labs. Built upon the foundation of RUBY, including the dynamic driver, balanced armature drivers, and the self-developed ICRS technology, SAPPHIRE offers a warmer, more relaxed take on its predecessor. It features more textured bass with enhanced impact while retaining the vocal and instrumental performance expected from RUBY.

SAPPHIRE, like RUBY, features a tribrid design. It is built on the SPM complex diaphragm dynamic driver, complemented by four balanced armature drivers, while the electrostatic drivers have been replaced with a Sonion bone conduction driver. A 4-way crossover design ensures excellent separation between frequencies. 

The goal of the bone conduction driver (BCD) in SAPPHIRE is straightforward: to enhance the impact and tactile elements of the music, particularly in the bass-mid region. Utilizing a BCD as a supplement driver also improves layering and allows for better frequency separation, preventing bass from bleeding into the upper ranges.

The ICRS Returns – Individual Chamber Resonance System 

While SAPPHIRE’s driver configuration differs, it still retains RUBY’s wide soundstage, thanks to Eminent Ears' unique Individual Chamber Resonance System (ICRS). Inspired by the arrangement of an orchestra and the meticulous acoustic design of concert halls, the ICRS technology in SAPPHIRE ensures a captivating and immersive audio experience.

By precisely adjusting the distance and angle of each driver, as well as implementing individual chambers for each group of drivers within the IEM, the ICRS achieves a resonance effect akin to that of a concert hall. This enables SAPPHIRE to deliver an exceptionally wide soundstage, as well as excellent separation between instruments. 
With the combination of ICRS and the bone conduction driver, SAPPHIRE is even better suited for a wide variety of music than RUBY. One can expect exceptional performance from SAPPHIRE, regardless of the genre.

Cable By Vortex Cables

As friendly brands from the same region, Eminent Ears and Vortex Cables have collaborated to create a set of IEMs and headphone cables that excel in balance, offering high frequency connectivity and a wide soundstage. Their goal is to cater to audiophiles’ preferences and provide them with an exceptional audio experience.