Empire Ears Legend Evo Flagship In-Ear Headphones

 Empire Ears Legend EVO Review - More Mature, More Money - Written Review by Precogvision

The story of the Legend EVO is one of revolution. Free from the constraints of convention and empowered by the skills gained from decades of experience, we knew that in order to develop a proper successor we had to take extraordinary new measures.

With a pioneering Dual Conduction Architecture and 8 driver tribrid system at its core the Legend EVO emits unprecedented levels of innovation and performance to create a new benchmark in the IEM industry.

The Legend EVO stands as the paragon of technical brilliance and it represents the boldest expression of Empire Ears.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Dual W9+ Subwoofers
• Five Precision Balanced Armatures
• Weapon X Bone Conduction Ultra Driver
• 9-Way synX Crossover Network
• Dual Conduction Architecture
• ARC Resonance Mitigation Technology
• Impedance: 4.5 Ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 5Hz-35kHz
• Sensitivity: 103dB @ 1kHz, 1mW
• Empire X PWAudio "GENESIS" Ultra Pure OCC Copper Cable, 4.4 Pentaconn Termination

THE SCIENCE OF HEARING

When you look at our hearing system you can break it down into 3 different regions: the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. Air conduction utilizes all 3 as sound is collected by the outer ear and directed along the ear canal into the ear drum, vibrating the bones of hearing (ossicles) in the middle ear to stimulate the hair cells inside of your cochlea in the inner ear. This stimulation creates electrical nerve impulses which are then carried to the brain by the auditory nerve to be converted into sound.

Bone conduction completely bypasses the outer and middle ear components by sending vibrations directly through the skull to stimulate the hair cells inside of your cochlea. Through bone conduction we can perceive ultrasonic hearing (beyond 20kHz) Bone conduction is generally perceived to have a lower, deeper tone because the skull conducts lower frequencies more efficiently than air.

DUAL CONDUCTION ARCHITECTURE

The Legend EVO fully exploits the best of both worlds with its pioneering Dual Conduction Architecture. A full range 5Hz-20kHz frequency response is delivered via air conduction from the dual W9+ subwoofers and 5 balanced armatures while imaging, soundstage, detail retrieval, low frequency extension and reverb is extraordinarily enhanced from 5Hz-35kHz via bone conduction from the W10.

Through the Dual Conduction Architecture and our masterful tuning the Legend EVO reproduces the most immersive, pure and stereophonic sound possible.

THE WEAPON X BONE CONDUCTION ULTRA DRIVER

When designing the most formidable bone conduction driver ever used in an IEM, it was of utmost important to carefully and thoroughly evaluate every facet of the W10 to ensure that no stone was left unturned. Every element of the W10 is hand selected, designed and vigorously tested for optimal bone conductivity performance.

Stainless Steel Chassis

The W10’s ultra robust nickel plated, SPCC chassis is designed to eliminate any coloration that may occur from internal resonance or flex.

The X Factor

The crown jewel and driving force of the W10 is its obscenely potent N52 neodymium magnet. N52 is the highest grade of neodymium currently available and its DNA consists of neodymium, iron and boron. The entirety of the W10’s design revolved around this very magnet.

Pure Copper Voice Coil

The voice coil is one of the most important aspects of the W10. When the electrical current of audio signal passes through the coil it creates a varying magnetic field that pushes and pulls against the W10’s magnet. By altering the current back and forth we’re able to generate immense levels of sonic vibrations throughout the W10’s chassis. The W10 employs a Japanese made pure copper voice coil optimized for accuracy in frequency and transient response. The consistency of winding tension, density of enamel, adhesive application techniques, dimensions and copper compositions were all factors that were essential for linearity, ultra low distortion and efficient heat dissipation.

Resonance & The Vibrational Membrane

The vibrational membrane is the exhaustively engineered interface between the magnetic properties and the acoustic capabilities of the W10. Constructed from steel and laser welded into place, each and every variable was critical during design. From the weight, stiffness and elasticity of the steel to the length and angle of the three cantilevered struts, breaking ground on the world’s most comprehensive and resolving bone conduction driver went beyond a labor of love and well into the realm of obsession.

FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

The Legend Evo pays homage to its predecessor, donning its minimalist appearance and classic color scheme but a closer look at the details reveals that all was honed around extraordinary, groundbreaking performance.

Dual Tri-Port Exhausts

Due to the nature of the W10’s extreme output the enclosure’s air volume and vent design were especially crucial for proper tuning. Even the slightest change in diameter and positioning had a dramatic effect on sound quality and performance. By mastering the W10’s volume requirements we’re able to harness its optimal output, capabilities and potential.

ARC Treated Chassis

Any flex in the enclosure walls will have unequal resonant frequencies and by treating the internals in critical areas with ARC we gain control of the room, allowing what gets reflected and/or absorbed. This eliminates any unwanted sound and allows the tone of the drivers to be as pure as possible.

Precision Mounted Weapons

The W10 is strategically ceiling mounted in a specially designed cavity at the top of the shell. This cavity is engineered to keep all sonic vibrations internal, maximizing bone conductivity transfer through the solid-filled ear canal.

Soundproofed Barrier

Low frequency energy causes even some of the most stable materials to resonate which is why we’ve sealed the shell with a custom spec cast polymer to channel the internal sonic vibrations towards listener while reflecting any unwanted energy from the outside.

The Midas Touch

The Legend Evo dons two significant logos in gold: The timeless Empire Wing span to signify our never-ending pursuit of extraordinary and the EVO logo which marks the evolution of IEM technology from Empire Ears.

GENESIS

EMPIRE X PW AUDIO

• 24AWG Ultra-Pure OCC Copper
• Quad Conductor, Polypropylene Reinforced Core
• Insulated UV-Resistant Polyvinyl Chloride Sheath
• 4.4 Balanced Pentaconn Termination

LAUNCH EDITION

The Legend EVO launch edition will include a custom handcrafted, hand dyed leather case by master craftsman Mr. Sangwoo of Vishnu Leather in South Korea. The launch edition will be limited to 400 units.