- Astell & Kern Luna costs £ 2,699 / $ 2,700 (about $ 5,612 A)
- Newly developed micro planar magnetic driver
- Titanium boxes and copper / silver cable
Astell & Kern’s new intra-ear monitors are the type of audio product that makes me sad, because they are likely to seem incredible-and like many of the best wired headphones for audiophiles, they are far beyond my budget.
The new Luna inspired by the Moon is the third set of headphones in the IEM series of Astell & Kern, and they are the most luxurious listening of the company. When the previous flagship product AK ZERO 2 uses a “quad-bride” configuration with four different driver types, there is only one driver here: a magnetic plan plan.
Astell & Kern Luna IEMS: Key functionalities and price
Each of the titanium buds here contains a specially developed Katabiki magnetic pilot, which Astell & Kern created in collaboration with Madoo. It is a unipolar magnetic circuit with a single magnet and a double ring yoke, which, according to Astell & Kern, offers “superlative control”.
The idea with planar magnetic drivers is that they use a larger, ultra-thin diaphragm compared to ordinary dynamic drivers. They are capable of a deeper bass response and incredible details compared to dynamic drivers, but they are difficult to produce.
The planar diaphragm housing is maximum CNC aluminum for rigidity, and the ultra-thin diaphragm is made from a light film and an aluminum model printed for a considerably reduced weight.
According to Astell & Kern, they offer exceptional speed, exceptional audio resolution and very natural and detailed audio experience with a frequency response from 20 Hz to 30 kHz.
Each pair of Luna Iems is handmade in Japan and is delivered with an attractive Alcantara case. The cables are with an occurrence silver coating and COPPER OCS, mixing high purity silver with a copper veneer and ending in a 4 mm connector with 2 finished aluminum pins. Seven sets of ear tips are provided, of different sizes and materials.
The IEM Luna are on sale now with a price of £ 2,699 / $ 2,700 / € 3,049 (around $ 5,612 in).
