Ultimate Ears

Ultimate Ears
Ultimate Ears
公司類型	子公司
成立	1995年
創辦人	Jerry Harvey; Mindy Harvey
總部	美國加利福尼亞州爾灣
業務範圍	全球
產品	耳機; 定製入耳式監聽器; 無線/藍牙音箱; UE Wonderboom; UE Megaboom; UE Boom;
母公司	羅技
網站	www.ultimateears.com/en-us

Ultimate Ears是一家成立於1995年，總部位於美國加州爾灣和紐瓦克的定製入耳式監聽器（IEM）、揚聲器和耳機製造商，隸屬於羅技旗下。

事件

1995年，傑里·哈維是范海倫樂隊的音響工程師，他嘗試通過舞台監聽系統混合他們的舞台音響，一種針對每個音樂家的強大的揚聲器。范海倫的鼓手亞歷克斯感覺在所有舞台上的噪聲當中聽到其他樂隊成員的聲音有很大的困難；聲音很響的耳機並沒有多少幫助^[1]。哈維為鼓手創造了一種定製耳膜的耳機以用於阻止某些舞台噪聲併集中所需的聲音：一種包含兩個揚聲器，一個低頻，一個高頻，而頻率是被一個無源分頻器分割的耳機樣機^[2]。高頻單元是一個庫存的日本組件，但一個合適的低頻單元卻很難找到。唯一能承受強力的鼓踢信號的單元是斯諾爾產的心臟起搏器的一部分，旨在警告心臟起搏器佩戴者內在問題的動鐵傳感器^[3]。其他范海倫樂隊成員對此很感興趣，同時哈維製作了更進一步的系列。范海倫樂隊的巡迴演出音樂家窮街樂隊想要一些耳機，哈維賣給他們6對，共計3000美元^[2]。流行歌手恩格爾貝特·洪佩爾丁克想要一副。在這樣的形勢下，哈維決定開一家公司來提供這方面的需求^[2]。

哈維和他的妻子明迪在同一時間決定離婚，因為他們想以商業夥伴的身份加入內華達州的拉斯維加斯，在那裡他們成立了Ultimate Ears。明迪後來說：「Ultimate Ears是我們從未有過的孩子……同時在這樣的大局下，離婚是宣傳公司的唯一方式^[2]。」明迪家開的公司，為在舞台上表演的音樂家提供的不只是定製耳機，同時也提供相關的無線發射器和接收器^[1]。傑里·哈維提升了系統，同時也幫助舒爾生產E1和E5這兩種入耳式耳塞，即第一代通用雙單元耳機^[1]。幫助舒爾製作這個產品同時也有利於Ultimate Ears這個新公司得到尊敬^[3]。UE-5的宣傳使Ultimate Ears在1998年第一次獲得了極大的利益；這是哈維設計的第五個耳機。客戶包括滾石樂隊、費斯·希爾、恩里克·伊格萊西亞斯和紅辣椒樂隊^[2]。

從一開始，和威士頓的合作的Ultimate Ears製造哈維設計的產品，不過在2001年威士頓開始在歐洲建立自己獨立經營的分銷渠道，拿著所有Ultimate Ears的商標和專利，用以銷售他們自己設計的入耳式耳機^[2]。這使威士頓和Ultimate Ears之間的關係惡化。因為哈維沒有任何專利，所以這使得他很難將他的設計、市場行銷和銷售業務同製造商分離開來。在2002年初，Ultimate Ears建立了自己的實驗室，同時聘請了聽力學家兼助聽器技師Chomphorn "Noy" Soudaly來主持這個實驗室。2002年4月，Ultimate Ears在缺少威士頓的幫助下生產出了升級版的樣品^[2]。哈維夫婦有能力保留九成的客戶，而其餘的則成為了威士頓的客戶。2003年，Ultimate Ears有5名員工並同時占領著專業入耳式耳機80%左右的市場^[2]。

哈維和林肯公園為了聯繫巡迴音樂家們四處奔走，在旅程過程中，他注意到iPod和其他MP3播放器的普及。他回到公司並產生了Ultimate Ears可以提供一個針對為音樂發燒友的消費模式。由此，UE-5C應運而生，2004年1月上市，售價為550美元。巨額的銷量使公司的收入翻了一番^[2]。為了這個方向的深層次發展需要外來投資，因此哈維聯繫了Innovate Partners，一家位於加利福尼亞州歐文的風險投資公司的擁有者兼執行長，鮑勃·阿利森。當公司搬到歐文的時候，阿利森成為了Ultimate Ears的執行長，在此同時明迪是總裁^[1]，而傑里成為了首席技術官^[2]。Innovate Partners幫助Ultimate Ears發展在中國的製造資源，以便提供預期的銷售量。2005年4月，由此產生的SuperFi 5 Pro，帶有雙壓電單元，並售以消費者每對250美元的價格，而這使得Ultimate Ears在2006年的銷售額超過1000萬美元^[2]。同年，Ultimate Ears聯手M-Audio和奧特藍星共同生產耳機升級線，一個是在M-Audio的管理下，另一個在奧特藍星的名下^[1]。

哈維在2007年設計和生產了三單元的UE-10 Pro和四單元定製UE-11之後離開了Ultimate Ears^[3]。哈維說他是被阿利森「逼出來的」，意在加強自己作為領導者的地位^[4]。

2008年，羅技收購Ultimate Ears^[5]。

產品

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.

參考文獻

^ ^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]. （原始內容存檔於2016-09-14）.
^ ^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]. （原始內容存檔於2022-05-02）.
^ ^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]. （原始內容存檔於2012-04-05）.
^ Earbud pioneer starts over with new business. Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 4, 2011 [August 8, 2011]. （原始內容存檔於2013年2月4日）. Republished from The Orlando Sentinel.
^ Phillips, Wes. Logitech to Acquire Ultimate Ears. Stereophile. August 17, 2008 [August 8, 2011]. （原始內容存檔於2020-09-25）.

外部連結

[Shambro-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]. （原始內容存檔於2016-09-14）.

[Sauer2007-2] 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]. （原始內容存檔於2022-05-02）.

[Young2011-3] 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]. （原始內容存檔於2012-04-05）.

[Richmond-4] Earbud pioneer starts over with new business. Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 4, 2011 [August 8, 2011]. （原始內容存檔於2013年2月4日）. Republished from The Orlando Sentinel.

[Logitech-5] Phillips, Wes. Logitech to Acquire Ultimate Ears. Stereophile. August 17, 2008 [August 8, 2011]. （原始內容存檔於2020-09-25）.

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