TWS (True Wireless Stereo) earbuds are becoming ever more capable. From their humble beginnings, when they sounded tinny and had a short battery life, today they almost completely erased wired earbuds from the picture. And things are only going to get better. Yet again, xMEMS is back with another leap in earbud tech. Lassen, its first “amplifier-less” MEMS tweeter, promises high-performance audio to mass-market earbuds, without the extra cost, power draw, or circuit complexity.
At just 3.2 x 5 x 1.15 mm, Lassen isn’t big. But it’s loud — delivering up to 115dB SPL between 6kHz and 20kHz from a standard 1Vrms audio signal. That’s a first in the world of MEMS speakers. And crucially, it does it without needing a dedicated piezo amplifier chip. Hence, xMEMS was able to cut down cost by around 25%, reduce power consumption, and free up precious real estate inside compact TWS earbuds.
This isn’t xMEMS’ first foray into high-end audio. The company’s previous Cowell and Muir tweeters were already a mainstay in brands like Creative Labs and Soundpeats for their clarity and detail. But those models still needed an external amp. Lassen ditches that dependency entirely, while still delivering the same signature sound — crisp, high-resolution detail with almost no distortion.
Under the hood, Lassen benefits from the same solid-state, all-silicon construction that powers the rest of xMEMS’ speaker lineup. These microdevices are manufactured using MEMS processes inside semiconductor wafer fabs, with multiple steps involving high-temperature processing in industrial ovens — just like other silicon chips. That means Lassen isn’t just precise. It’s repeatable, scalable, and built to semiconductor-grade standards.
For manufacturers, this kind of integration simplifies the design process and keeps manufacturing costs down. It also allows them to make even better earbuds. No amp means fewer components, easier layout, longer battery life, and room for more features like ANC, sensors, or higher-capacity batteries. For consumers, it means immersive, high-fidelity audio in earbuds that are smaller, lighter, and more affordable.
Samples of Lassen are available now, with mass production scheduled for September 2025.
