The Ultrasone Ruby Sunrise IEM in limited edition red color has been released as a sibling model to the Sapphire. These come with an all-new red color and a robust six-driver system, but a premium price are they the right choice for you?


What’s in the Box?

The box sets the tone right away with a very aesthetically pleasing design featuring a red and gold color palette. There are reflective details on the front, including a sleek “Made in Bavaria” tag on the bottom, showing off the pride Ultrasone takes in the quality of their German made construction.

The box also has a removable sleeve that features a diamond illustration on the front. The design concept and all the imagery here, since this is the ruby sunrise edition, is channeling a literal piece ruby of jewelry, thus the red and silver colors. The back of the sleeve also has a pretty handy list of specs that’s useful if you’re trying to find all this information in one spot.

Once you open it up and pop open this layers of cardboard and black foam where your paperwork is, you will see that this comes with all the goods, including a blue drawstring bag with your cable, your IEMs, several different sized ear adapters (3 foam, 3 silicone), a zipper case, as well as a cleaning tool because you know...in ears.

The braided cable is detachable and connects to the IEMS with these gold plated 2 pin connectors. The other end is 3.5mm.

Design and Fit

I really like the design of the IEM itself, and a lot of that has to do with the red color. I love the bright deep shade, I think it looks really sharp with the shiny silver cable and the brushed aluminum Ultrasone nameplate on the top. The whole thing is aluminum, and the inspiration behind this color and the name, according to Ultrasone is that the shine these give off is intended to evoke a sparkly sunrise over the morning sea.

You can evaluate for yourself if it does all that, but for me, these hit it out of the park aesthetically. I love how they look in the box, and how they look in the ear.

As for the shape, it’s the pretty standard Ultrasone rounded rectangle shapes like you’d see in other IEMs by them. I experimented with a couple of the ear tips and I found that the medium was perfectly suitable and these fit nicely in my ears, no wiggling around and no discomfort.

You may also want to check out our video review.

Drivers and Impedance

Each earpiece contains two balanced armature drivers meant for producing bass frequencies and two more for producing your mids and highs. On top of that, these employ two electrostatic drivers that work as tweeters and are specifically for delivering extremely clear high end.

This is an interesting choice considering the low end is usually what’s in vogue, and high frequencies can often result in becoming an afterthought. This speaks to the fact that Ultrasone's focus is on creating a really specific and particular experience with these IEMs - which does make sense. There are only 100 units available worldwide after all.

These IEMs also have a low impedance of just 25 ohms so that they can provide high-quality listening regardless of your source. However, if you want to enjoy the full range of the Ruby Sunrise’s power, including a generous 10hz to 50,000 Hz frequency range, you may want to consider pairing these with a good amp.


Sound Quality and Stage

In terms of power and width, the bass response performs really well. I was rocking out to some Bad Bunny in the office with these on, and the low end in the trap beats has a nice deep resonance and picks a good punch with a decent amount of body. Harmonically, in tracks with bass guitars and low synths, those elements are legible and distinguishable, but they don’t quite have the cleanest of edges and lack a little bit of smoothness.

In line with this trend, the low mids are nice and round and provide a good amount of warmth to the signature, but certain styles and genres of music can get a little murky. Anything that’s kind of hard rock with real distorted guitars are gonna explore a little bit of bloat, and these may not exhibit the most ideal performance for that style.

That said, anything that’s a little airier and has more of a focus on vocals, harmonies, and more delicate instruments will take on a really pleasant quality. Naturally, as you move higher and higher up the frequency range, these really start to come alive in terms of more detail and crisper, clearer resonance.

The electrostatic drivers are really the secret sauce that gives these IEMs their signature and unique quality. High frequencies take on a real sparkle and definition that makes some of your tracks feel like they’ve gotten a new coat of polish, especially if you’ve been pumping them through more low end focused systems for a while.

One of my favorite deep cuts that I like to pull out is the 1978 DECCA recording of the Intermezzo from an opera called Cavaliere Rusticana. This is a gorgeous orchestral piece that’s mainly a feature for the violins which play these really high register yearning melodies, with some other lush harmony parts by the clarinets and flutes. This track had an absolutely crystalline shimmer in these IEMs that gave it a slightly different character that was really outstanding when paired with this specific recording.


The Verdict

Overall, the Ultrasone Ruby Sunrise limited edition is a great looking high-quality IEM, that serves to provide a unique experience to those who will gobble up the limited quantity. The keyword is definitely unique, as the Ruby offers a very specific driver set up and a sound signature that, while it handles most things well, definitely leans toward the high end of the frequency ranges.

At a fairly premium price point, if you’re looking for one all-around IEM to serve a variety of purposes, this may not be the one for you. However, if you’re a collector, in love with the design, or on the hunt for an IEM that delivers bright, crystal clear, and resonant high-end detail, this just may be a fantastic option.

You can order a pair today at Audio46.