Each earpiece has been fitted with nine custom Noble drive units, housed within a two-part precision-machined aluminium chassis. Noble Audio says the new chassis is smaller and lighter than the previous flagship IEM, the Kaiser 10U.
The Katana name is inspired by the Katana Samurai sword, because of its “perfect combination of balance, artistic beauty and sharpness in its cutting edge”.
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Noble says the Katanas deliver “tremendous speed and versatility” and claim that the top-end is capable of “generating considerable airiness and outstanding imaging”. They are also said to be sensitive enough to use with smartphones and portable music players.
Like some previous IEM models from Noble Audio, the Katana can be ordered with a custom-fit and in a range of materials including aluminium, Noble’s Prestige range of exotic woods or an SLA 3D-printed version. They also come with a detachable two-pin cable and a Pelican 1010 “crush-proof” carry case, 12 pairs of ear tips and a cleaning tool.
The Noble Audio Katana is available now, with prices starting at £1200 for an SLA 3D-printed fit, £1350 for universal- or custom-fit and £2000 for a Prestige custom-fit.
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See all our Noble Audio reviews