Ultimate Ears

Ultimate Ears
公司類型子公司
成立1995年 (1995)
創辦人Jerry Harvey
Mindy Harvey
總部 美国加利福尼亚州尔湾
業務範圍全球
產品
母公司罗技
网站www.ultimateears.com/en-us
2017年前使用的徽标

Ultimate Ears是一家成立于1995年，总部位于美国加州尔湾和纽瓦克的定制入耳式监听器（IEM）、扬声器和耳机制造商，隶属于罗技旗下。

事件

1995年，杰里·哈维是范海伦乐队的音响工程师，他尝试通过舞台监听系统混合他们的舞台音响，一种针对每个音乐家的强大的扬声器。范海伦的鼓手亚历克斯感觉在所有舞台上的噪声当中听到其他乐队成员的声音有很大的困难；声音很响的耳机并没有多少帮助[1]。哈维为鼓手创造了一种定制耳膜的耳机以用于阻止某些舞台噪声并集中所需的声音：一种包含两个扬声器，一个低频，一个高频，而频率是被一个无源分频器分割的耳机样机[2]。高频单元是一个库存的日本组件，但一个合适的低频单元却很难找到。唯一能承受强力的鼓踢信号的单元是斯诺尔产的心脏起搏器的一部分，旨在警告心脏起搏器佩戴者内在问题的动铁传感器[3]。其他范海伦乐队成员对此很感兴趣，同时哈维制作了更进一步的系列。范海伦乐队的巡回演出音乐家穷街乐队想要一些耳机，哈维卖给他们6对，共计3000美元[2]。流行歌手恩格尔贝特·洪佩尔丁克想要一副。在这样的形势下，哈维决定开一家公司来提供这方面的需求[2]。

哈维和他的妻子明迪在同一时间决定离婚，因为他们想以商业伙伴的身份加入内华达州的拉斯维加斯，在那里他们成立了Ultimate Ears。明迪后来说：「Ultimate Ears是我们从未有过的孩子……同时在这样的大局下，离婚是宣传公司的唯一方式[2]。」明迪家开的公司，为在舞台上表演的音乐家提供的不只是定制耳机，同时也提供相关的无线发射器和接收器[1]。杰里·哈维提升了系统，同时也帮助舒尔生产E1和E5这两种入耳式耳塞，即第一代通用双单元耳机[1]。帮助舒尔制作这个产品同时也有利于Ultimate Ears这个新公司得到尊敬[3]。UE-5的宣传使Ultimate Ears在1998年第一次获得了极大的利益；这是哈维设计的第五个耳机。客户包括滚石乐队、费斯·希尔、恩里克·伊格莱西亚斯和红辣椒乐队[2]。

从一开始，和威士顿的合作的Ultimate Ears制造哈维设计的产品，不过在2001年威士顿开始在欧洲建立自己独立经营的分销渠道，拿着所有Ultimate Ears的商标和专利，用以销售他们自己设计的入耳式耳机[2]。这使威士顿和Ultimate Ears之间的关系恶化。因为哈维没有任何专利，所以这使得他很难将他的设计、市场营销和销售业务同制造商分离开来。在2002年初，Ultimate Ears建立了自己的实验室，同时聘请了听力学家兼助听器技师Chomphorn "Noy" Soudaly来主持这个实验室。2002年4月，Ultimate Ears在缺少威士顿的帮助下生产出了升级版的样品[2]。哈维夫妇有能力保留九成的客户，而其余的则成为了威士顿的客户。2003年，Ultimate Ears有5名员工并同时占领着专业入耳式耳机80%左右的市场[2]。

哈维和林肯公园为了联系巡回音乐家们四处奔走，在旅程过程中，他注意到iPod和其他MP3播放器的普及。他回到公司并产生了Ultimate Ears可以提供一个针对为音乐发烧友的消费模式。由此，UE-5C应运而生，2004年1月上市，售价为550美元。巨额的销量使公司的收入翻了一番[2]。为了这个方向的深层次发展需要外来投资，因此哈维联系了Innovate Partners，一家位于加利福尼亚州欧文的风险投资公司的拥有者兼首席执行官，鲍勃·阿利森。当公司搬到欧文的时候，阿利森成为了Ultimate Ears的首席执行官，在此同时明迪是总裁[1]，而杰里成为了首席技术官[2]。Innovate Partners帮助Ultimate Ears发展在中国的制造资源，以便提供预期的销售量。2005年4月，由此产生的SuperFi 5 Pro，带有双压电单元，并售以消费者每对250美元的价格，而这使得Ultimate Ears在2006年的销售额超过1000万美元[2]。同年，Ultimate Ears联手M-Audio和奥特蓝星共同生产耳机升级线，一个是在M-Audio的管理下，另一个在奥特蓝星的名下[1]。

哈维在2007年设计和生产了三单元的UE-10 Pro和四单元定制UE-11之后离开了Ultimate Ears[3]。哈维说他是被阿利森「逼出来的」，意在加强自己作为领导者的地位[4]。

2008年，罗技收购Ultimate Ears[5]。

产品

Wireless Bluetooth Speakers
  • UE MEGABOOM: 360° sound with dual passive radiators, performance drivers and advanced digital signal processing
  • UE BOOM: 360° sound with dual performance drivers and dual passive radiators.
  • UE ROLL: 360° sound in waterproof case
Universal Fit Earphones
  • TripleFi 10: triple balanced armatures with passive crossover
  • Ultimate Ears 900: quadruple balanced armatures with passive crossover
  • Ultimate Ears 700: dual balanced armatures with passive crossover
  • Ultimate Ears 600: single balanced armature
  • Ultimate Ears 600vi, identical to 600, but adds built-in microphone and on-cord controls
  • Ultimate Ears 500: single dynamic driver
  • Ultimate Ears 500vi: identical to 500, but adds built-in microphone and on-cord controls
  • Ultimate Ears 350: single dynamic driver
  • Ultimate Ears 350vi: identical to 350, but adds built-in microphone and on-cord controls
  • Ultimate Ears 200: single dynamic driver
  • Ultimate Ears 200vi: identical to 200, but adds built-in microphone and on-cord controls
  • Ultimate Ears 100: single dynamic driver, 10 colorful designs

Like all earphones the Ultimate Ears consumer monitors require the user to test varying sizes of ear cushions (included with the purchase) in order to achieve the proper fit for noise isolation.

Legacy consumer products
  • The MetroFi 100 with a 10mm mylar driver.
  • The MetroFi 100vi, designed for the iPhone, with a 10mm mylar driver and inline microphone.
  • The MetroFi 150 with a dynamic driver
  • The MetroFi 150v, designed for the iPhone with a dynamic driver and inline microphone.
  • The MetroFi 170 with a small dynamic driver
  • The MetroFi 170vi, designed for the iPhone with a small dynamic driver and inline microphone.
  • The MetroFi 200, with a dynamic driver.
  • The MetroFi 220, with a small titanium dynamic driver.
  • The MetroFi 220vi, designed for the iPhone with a small titanium dynamic driver and inline microphone.
  • The SuperFi 3 Studio with one balanced armature driver.
  • The SuperFi 4 with a proprietary balanced armature speaker.
  • The SuperFi 5 with one Proprietary balanced armature driver.
  • The SuperFi 5vi designed for iPhone, with one Proprietary balanced armature driver.
  • The SuperFi 5 EB with one balanced armature and one 13.5mm diaphragm driver.
  • The SuperFi 5 Pro with Dual balanced armature drivers with an inline crossover.
  • The Loud Enough, designed for children 6 and up, with a 10mm mylar driver and limits sound pressure levels to 60%.
  • TripleFi 10vi, a modification of the standard TripleFi 10 Pro designed for the iPhone which adds an inline microphone.
  • UE MINI BOOM: dual performance drivers and one passive radiator.
Custom In-Ear Monitors
  • The UE In-Ear Reference Monitors with Triple Balanced, precision armatures, with multiple Integrated Passive Crossover
  • The UE18 Pro with Sextuple Balanced Armature Driver Technology, with Four-way Integrated Passive Crossover
  • The UE11 Pro with Quadruple Balanced Armature Driver Technology, Single High-end Frequencies Driver, Single Mid Frequencies Driver, and Dual Low-End Frequencies with Three-way integrated Passive Crossover
  • The UE7 Pro with Triple Balanced Armature Driver Technology, Single High-End Frequencies Driver, Dual Mid-Low Frequencies Drivers with Integrated Passive Crossover.
  • The UE5 Pro With Dual Balanced Armature Drivers, Single High-End Frequencies Driver, Single Mid-Low Frequencies Driver with integrated Passive Crossover
  • The UE4 Pro with Dual balanced armature drivers, single high-end frequencies driver, single mid-low frequencies driver with an integrated passive crossover network.
  • The UE1 Pro with single ear design, Quadruple balanced armature drivers, with Four-way integrated Passive Crossover.
Legacy custom products
  • The UE10 Pro with Triple Balanced Armature Driver Technology, Single High-End Frequencies Driver, Dual Mid-Low Frequencies Drivers with Integrated Passive Crossover Circuit Board.
Musician's earplugs

Ultimate Ears has always offered earplugs for professional musicians. The earplugs are marketed relative to the amount of background noise reduction.

参考文献

  1. ^ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Shambro, Joe. Ultimate Sound, Ultimate Ears: A Look Inside Ultimate Ears' Legendary Quality. Home Recording. About.com. 2007 [August 3, 2011]. （原始内容存档于2016-09-14）. 
  2. ^ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Sauer, Patrick. More Volume!. Inc. Mansueto Ventures. June 1, 2007 [August 3, 2011]. （原始内容存档于2022-05-02）. 
  3. ^ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Young, Kevin. In Profile: Jerry Harvey IEM Pioneer & Mix Engineer: Creating quality tools for his peers. ProSoundWeb: 3. May 3, 2011 [August 8, 2011]. （原始内容存档于2012-04-05）. 
  4. ^ Earbud pioneer starts over with new business. Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 4, 2011 [August 8, 2011]. （原始内容存档于2013年2月4日）.  Republished from The Orlando Sentinel.
  5. ^ Phillips, Wes. Logitech to Acquire Ultimate Ears. Stereophile. August 17, 2008 [August 8, 2011]. （原始内容存档于2020-09-25）. 

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