This triple speaker format allow the monitors to reproduce highly specific audio in virtually any environment. Ultimate Ears has also eliminated the the standard Y connector found on many headphones, in favor of tightly braided cabling. It's said to reduce friction and cable cross-talk, a feature that anyone who has ever used a pair of Etymotic ER•4 earphones will appreciate.
Priced at $1,000, however, it's hard to fault Etymotic's $299 ER•4 set for anything in relation the Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitors. That said, Ultimate Ears designed these in conjunction with Capitol Studios, so they're very much intended for audio professionals.
Nevertheless, I'm sure there's at least a few of you dedicated audiophiles out there salivating over the promise of a flat response curve and 5 Hz to 18 kHz extended wide band frequencies. And if you have the cash to spare, a set of custom molded Ultimate Ears would be the best compliment to one of those new iPods that Apple seems to be launching imminently.