If you think you know in-ear headphone design, think again. Nascent brand Zeitgeist Germany has arrived to reinvent the rulebook not just on how a pair of in-ear monitors should look but on which materials and components should be used to make them, revealing two trailblazing models constructed from some decidedly distinctive materials.
The bold new brand was founded by Thomas Halbgewachs, formerly of Beyerdynamic and a subsequent collaborator with various other high-end headphone companies. Zeitgeist Germany has been launched in collaboration with fellow German brand InEar, the established maker of in-ear stage monitors, so hopefully the new collections will have the sonic capabilities to match their out-there designs.
Models from the two new collections – "Artisan" and "Whisky" – are available now, with a "Trees" line set to arrive next month. The Artisan Collection of IEMs are constructed using Karelian birchwood, the same luxurious, patterned material once used to construct a Fabergé Egg for Tsar Nicolas II. Even Campfire Audio doesn't have such crazy compositions, and that's a brand with headphones inspired by the moon landings and bright green, thousand-pound in-ear Andromeda monitors in its roster.
IEMs from the Whisky Collection, meanwhile, are constructed using emptied casks of Islay Malt Whisky. The wood is cut from the barrel and then oiled, with the drivers and internal components of the monitors then inserted. Zeitgeist aims to expand its range for the tasty-sounding range, sharing plans for a Flamed Island Malt iteration and a Tennessee version for fans of that signature Southern flavour.
Zeitgeist Germany claims that it has put as much effort into how its new in-ear headphones sound as how great they look. The company studied thousands of ear impressions to find the fit that will be best for most wearers, with a design that contours to the ears for a more ergonomic experience.
Whichever set you choose, you'll be provided with four sizes of silicone eartips, with additional tips available from the official store. Both pairs come with a premium cable in the box, constructed using an eight-core structure and braided from high-purity, silver-plated monocrystalline copper, available in 3.5mm and 4.4mm versions.
Zeitgeist Germany's new in-ear monitors are available now, with the Artisan priced at £799 / $899 / €899 and the Whisky retailing at £699 / $799 / €799. The Whisky IEMs come in a choice of five colourways – vivid amber, blue, green, black and purple.
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