Blackening Stainless Steel + Stainless Steel.
The 9iNE-S is an all stainless steel housing. The body portion is blackening “Gen” and the rear portion is machined stainless steel as is. It is quite austere looking.
Unlike painting, blackening can bring out the texture of stainless steel as it is, so combining the same stainless steel with other stainless steel products will give a beautiful sense of unity even though the colors are different.
I think the 9iNE-S is the closest in sound to the old 8iTE. It is stainless steel, but it is close to the old 8iTE-BW, which used brass.
The 9iNE-S is sharper, with higher frequencies well above. The midrange is moderate. The low frequencies are quite solid. The lows and mids are voluminous, but I think the lows are smarter than other 9iNEs.
I think the 9iNE-S has a slightly distant sound that prioritizes distance and spaciousness of the plane rather than power.
The 9iNE-S has a distinctly cool tone.
The high frequency range is thin as if squeezed out, and a part of the high frequency range is a little more noticeable than in other 9iNEs. However, if you like sharp sound, this 9iNE-S is recommended.