Audio Technica ATH-CK7: An In-Depth Review

[Zephyron]

After an entire week of using these things, with their burn-in process completed, I haven't felt more fulfilled in using any earphones at all... And up till this day, they still don't fail to WOW me...

Yeah, I know, I said I was aiming for the ER6i at first, but several other things that I considered was comfort and elimination of microphonics...

And not forgetting I had a pair of Ultimate Ear's Super.Fi series Biflange eartip with me... All perfect for these new earphones of mine...

--------------------------------
AUDIO TECHNICA ATH-CK7
--------------------------------

Let's get down to business and give a shakedown on these canal-earphones:

The Audio Technica ATH-CK7 is a canal phone, not a true IEM, but it does its job in a very similar way to true IEMs - to block out external noise up to a certain degree.
However, difference is (as compared to the Shure e2c/e3c, Westone UM1/UM2 and Etymotic's ER6/ER6i) its more comfortable as compared to true IEMs IMO, and requires less of a struggle to put into your ears.

With that description over, let's get down to what REALLY counts from an earphone: Sound Quality.

SOUND CATEGORY-
--------------------------------
-Bass Impact: 9/10
The mix of the best of both worlds. As I previously said, its very punchy, but not in a bad way. I love the bass impact of the CK7. It is at the same time strong, yet, ironically, accurate. But bass impact can be said to be something like the Etymotic ER6i in terms of sound signature, except much much stronger. I dare say it leaves the Sony MDR-EX71 that I own in the dust by a long shot as well.

EDIT: Perhaps a proper way to describe the bass impact of these phones is that it attacks and retracts very quickly, much like a swift punch to the ear-drum with no follow-through if not necessary (In short, its bass decay is fast, just nice if not perfect for me).
--------------------------------
-Bass Quality: 9/10
The proper way to describe the bass quality for this thing is that its -in a word- smooth flowing. VERY much similar to the bass quality one would get out of the Etymotic ER6i. The bass frequencies are accurately, faithfully reproduced. You're not gonna find any bloated bass or boomyness here. The bass is clean, just the way I like them!
--------------------------------
-Bass Extension: 8/10
The bass extension of these things extended as deep as I would've liked them to. My ears tell me that it starts to roll-off somewhere in the middle of the 20-30Hz region (average 25Hz) based of Gran Turismo 4's arcade selection music, where there's a deep yet soft quadruple bass beat. I could hear this on my Sony MDR-EX71, but not my old ATH-CK5, Cresyn LMX-E630DL and Koss KSC75, but the ATH-CK7 brought that particular part of the music back. You can bet I was very surprised o.O
--------------------------------
-Mids: 8/10
Not sure of where to begin with the mids quality.
Right out of the box, the mids are just there, but cold sounding. After a night's worth of burning-in though, the mids start to somehow 'fill-in', not as cold sounding as before and starts to get more 'engaging' with the music, though still cold to many I believe (mainly musical bassheads). The sounds of both the male and female singers I have in my album were very accurately portrayed. Musical instruments that generate sounds within the mid-range were clearly portrayed and well separated as well. Nothing about the mids standout I guess, its as flat on the sound frequency as any good earphone must be. The difference however, its the mids detail. Its there and its obvious :)

A good comparison I can make on other earphones and headphones with regards to the CK7's mids is somewhre in-between the Etymotic ER6i and Grado SR60 (leaning more towards the ER6i)!
--------------------------------
-Treble: 10/10!!! OMFG!!! *jawdrop*
Right out of its box, Its low-trebles and mid-trebles are enhanced off the limits, making the earphone sound VERY bright, too bright for my tastes. There was also a tiny bit of sibilance as well. Fortunately, my UE Super.Fi BiFlange tip fixes a huge part of this problem, although the highs still sound rather harsh. After the initial test with them, I left them on overnight for their burn-in process on my PCDP on Bass Boost level 1, moderate listening volumes. The next morning, the harsh and bright sounds generated by the CK7 has been reduced by quite a margin, but not completely gotten rid of yet (They are now though, after a near-continuous 72-hour burn-in with multiple volumes).

Today, the high frequency sounds on my CK7 sparkles much like a clean diamond crystal. Smooth, clean with no sibilance, portraying a great sense of clarity. Even after long hours of listening (4 hours straight, animating my schoolwork) I didn't feel any fatigue on my ears at all!

I really like the highs on my CK7. Found it to be better than the already incredible highs quality on the Etymotics ER6i. Not only is the treble stronger than the ER6i, but I heard more details on the extreme-upper-end of the sound spectrum (10000Hz and above, my ears 'rolloff' at 16100Hz or so, can't really hear anything above that) on the CK7 than on the ER6i. How good does that stand?
--------------------------------
-Detail: 8/10
The CK7 handles detail very well. One shock after I upgraded from the Cresyn LMX-E630DL was the CK7's instrumental separation capabilities when paired with my UE Super.Fi BiFlange tip. It's simple - in a word - BREATHTAKING. I could swear I was almost hyper-ventilating at the time. This thing cranks out instrumental in the entire sound spectrum really easily with much detail WITHOUT being revealing, almost similar to that of the ER6i o.O

Why almost? Well, the ER6i can deliver better bass detail as compared to the CK7. The CK7 reaches around 80% of the bass detail performance of the ER6i. Not bad really :)
--------------------------------
-Soundstaging: 7/10
The CK7 has far from having the best soundstage although you can more or less tell where each acoustical instrument is directed to you from (To my ears, mainly from directly at 12 O'clock, then from 2 O'clock swept to 10 O'clock, ranges from the 12 to 2 O'clock and 10 to 12 O'clock seems mssing, it maybe just me or my ears though). In fact, to my ears, its very much similar to the ER6i, which has already pretty decent soundstage IMO, except it feels more open and airy.

I guess that the CK7's titanium construct does have something to do with it. Its soundstaging is EXTREMELY impressive for something its size AND pricing. To put it in a word, its simply unbelievable! o.O;

Hmm, to compare it to headphones though... Would you believe me if I actually said that I feel that the soundstaging for the ATH-CK7 is actually BETTER than the GRADO SR60 (note: Different sound signature on the SR60. I've tested the SR60's thoroughly, and am still planning on getting them sometime in the future)? I sure think it is!
--------------------------------
--------------------------------
NON-SOUND-CATEGORY:
--------------------------------
-Isolation: 7/10 with default CK7 flanges all 3 sizes, 8/10 with the Super.Fi BiFlange
EDIT: No longer using the BiFlange, sacrificed a bit of isolation for better detail with my normal flange. A bit of low bass cut, but its all the better for me =)
--------------------------------
-Durability: 8/10
Titanium housed earphones with a high quality cord to boot. Being the rough and careless person that I am, I've yanked them a few times before (OUCH! Heart pains...). That being said, the cord does feel a bit rubbery (in-between solid plastic and rubber). It is quite thick too.

The Y-cord adjuster does grip very tightly unto the cords though, and I suspect it may cause wearing out if its used one too often.
--------------------------------
-Portability: 10/10!!!
This is no headphone, NO HEADPHONE! Like all earbuds, its extremely portable, and is easily stored away in a pouch bundled in in its package (Just a pouch? No casing? Come on Audio Technica, you can do better than that o.O) if not in use.
--------------------------------
-Ergonomics & Comfort: 8/10
Sony MDR-EX71... very comfortable but bad sounds, Audio Technica ATH-CK5... Stupid earloop caused great discomfort (Only realized after a friend told me to cut the loop off), Cresyn LMX-E630 great sound for price... but comfort has issues, Creative EP630(Sharp MD33 and Sennheiser CX300 has the same construct)... very comfortable too.

Finally, my Audio Technica ATH-CK7. Musician earphone wearing style ergonomics make the rather heavy Titanium chassis feel even lighter than a feather and it feels... very comfortable too... I fell asleep with these on before (much like another audiophile friend of mine). They're that comfortable IMO! :)

EDIT: One more thing... Microphonics? What microphonics? *listens to his music undisturbed*
--------------------------------
--------------------------------
FINALLY!
Weighted average score out of 11 categories:
With default earbuds: 83.6% -> Better SQ
With the Super.Fi BiFlange: 84.5% -> Better isolation
Zeph's grading: A

Bonus: Here's a pic of my ATH-CK7 + my DAP
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/RandomDrifter/Random%20photoes/U3_CK701.jpg

EDIT on March 10 2006:
No longer using the UE SuperFi Bi-Flange on my CK7, but rather using the large sized tips instead, since I think its now fully burnt in. A more even and balanced response have been recieved, and wow the treble details stand out even further, showing the detail prowess of the CK7

Sacrificed perhaps a teeny bit of isolation, but the CK7 sounds more aggressive and detailed now, with an ever so marginally improved soundstaging and a more impressive level of imaging and instrumental separation to boot.

[dfkt]

Thanks for the great review... can't wait to get my fingers/ears on those CK7's! :bigthumbs

[Getwired]

Nice review Zephyron! So, when are you gonna mail me those ATH-CK7's to try? :bigsmile: I just posted my Sennheiser CX-300 first impressions here (http://www.iaudiophile.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7673) a little while ago...check 'em out when you get a few minutes. I'll post my Cresyn LMX-E630SN impressions in several days and try to compare the two.

I have a question for you. Which Ultimate Ears super.fi model do you have? Are you using the Audio Technica ATH-CK7 exclusively now? After reading other reviews and now yours, I feel like I need to hear the ATH-CK7's... :winker:

P.S. I'm not really gonna give you a penny. I need to save all my pennies for more audio gear. I plan on buying the Shure E500's with my 190-pound jug of pennies when they hit the streets.

[Zephyron]

Thanks for the great review... can't wait to get my fingers/ears on those CK7's! :bigthumbsHmmm, just one curiosity though. I've heard the Super.Fi 5 EB has heavy amounts of bass, moreso than the UM2 (Can't tell since I never heard the 5EBs, but for one thing I founf the bass on the UM2 already too overpowering for my tastes... didn't like it).

If you like the 'bass presence' of the Super.Fi 5 EB however, you might find the CK7 thin sounding. You might wanna bring the PA2V2 you have into play here. Though I never personally tested it yet, the PA2V2 I heard, does act as a bass booster of some sort.

Based on the UM2 and the CK7, the difference is a world apart (musical + analytical)

Nice review Zephyron! So, when are you gonna mail me those ATH-CK7's to try? I just posted my Sennheiser CX-300 first impressions here a little while ago...check 'em out when you get a few minutes. I'll post my Cresyn LMX-E630SN impressions in several days and try to compare the two.

I have a question for you. Which Ultimate Ears super.fi model do you have? Are you using the Audio Technica ATH-CK7 exclusively now? After reading other reviews and now yours, I feel like I need to hear the ATH-CK7's...

P.S. I'm not really gonna give you a penny. I need to save all my pennies for more audio gear. I plan on buying the Shure E500's with my 190-pound jug of pennies when they hit the streets.

Mail ya the CK7's? No way, I'm using them exclusively now XD

Read the CX300 impressions... They're kinda different from what I've expected them to be from what you read, mainly about the highs. The bass and the mids from what you described sounds like a semi-burnt in Creative EP630 to me.

Hmmm, a summary I would give the CK7 is that its an analytical earphone that manages to deliver punchy and controlled bass, but this is subjective because I'm no basshead.

Once you get the Cresyn LMX-E630 and have it burnt it (6 hours only, this things' burn-in time is short), just imagine it this way: The CK7 has enough clarity delivery and instrumental separation to make the LMX-E630 sound muffled in comparison once you're used to the CK7.

Regarding your question, I do not own any UE Super.Fi model, I just have their BiFlange tip for use only, which is why in the review, I did not compare it to any UE earphones because I never tested them yet. Rather, I just compare it to earphones I have experience with when borrowed from (SR60, ER6i, EP630 and not in the review: UM1 and UM2) or own/ed (EX51/71, ATH-CK5, Koss KSC75 and Cresyn LMX-E630).

[dfkt]

Hmmm, just one curiosity though. I've heard the Super.Fi 5 EB has heavy amounts of bass, moreso than the UM2 (Can't tell since I never heard the 5EBs, but for one thing I founf the bass on the UM2 already too overpowering for my tastes... didn't like it).

If you like the 'bass presence' of the Super.Fi 5 EB however, you might find the CK7 thin sounding. You might wanna bring the PA2V2 you have into play here. Though I never personally tested it yet, the PA2V2 I heard, does act as a bass booster of some sort.

Based on the UM2 and the CK7, the difference is a world apart (musical + analytical)


Well, the "EB" stands for "Extended Bass". The bass is there, and it's very articulate and refined. It doesn't veil the mids and highs (if you use reasonable EQ settings...). The Super.Fi 5 Pro's might be a tad more transparent, and of course closer to the real sound that's intended to come from your music/player, but the EB's are far from being 'bloated' or 'boomy'.

What the EB's really do is, they can handle any amount of bass thrown at them without the slightest distortion. Doesn't matter if you listen to Freak Nasty, Photek, any Miami-Bass- or other Low-Freq Test. They always deliver the bass undistorted, even with the 60Hz EQ of the X5 turned up +12dB. Of course then the mids and highs might get a little affected in the process, but it's partly the human ear's design that can't hold up with those amounts of bass.

And yes, the PA2V2 might be a bit on the bassy side, too (that's why I chose it :winker:). But it doesn't affect the sound of the EB's too much. I feel a much bigger difference with my AKG K141S. They get a lot better in bass reproduction and soundstage with the PA2V2. The EB's might be too sensitive (119dB/mW) to benefit a lot from the PA2V2.

I'd like to try the CK7's for some other reasons too, not only their sound. Of course a single driver IEM can't have the same sound quality like an armature/diaphragm double-driver IEM. But first, the CK7's look good and are small (the EB's are huge and stand out of my ears quite much). They might be better used in bed than the EB's. Second, I might need a birthday present for my girlfriend! :winker: And the titanium just looks exclusive enough for being a nice present. Third, you don't have to push them as far into your ear canal as the Etymotics (also a concern about my girlfriend).

[Zephyron]

^ Heee, does that mean you might be purchasing 2 CK7s provided you like the first one you get? :)

Right now, I'm not considering any upgrades as of yet, but in the future once I start working and have saved enough cash, I'm planning to go for the Super.Fi 5 Pro, Shure E4c or the UE 10 Pro. I would consider the ER4P I guess, but problem lies in its microphonics.

EDIT: On a side note, I never tried any of the 3 o.O

[Getwired]

Mail ya the CK7's? No way, I'm using them exclusively now XD
I was just kidding with you about sending them to me, buddy! Unless you really want to. :bigsmile:

If you ever wind up with a pair of super.fi 5 Pro's or 5 EB's, I think you'll love them (5 Pro's at least -- I've never hear the EB's personally). I opted for the 5 Pro's because I wanted a more flat response. There is no bass muddiness / distortion / high-masking that I have detected in the 5 Pro's, and they're incredibly punchy...

(the EB's are huge and stand out of my ears quite much)
Mr. dfkt hit the nail on the head with regard to the appearance of the 5 EB's -- they remind me of "thumbs" popping outta yer ears, and tend to make one look a little like Frankenstein IMO. I'm sure they sound great though! :winker:

Yeah, the CX-300s are really nice, but between you and dfkt making me all "hot and bothered", I'll probably wind up with a pair of the ATH-CK7's as well! "Darn this forum! Darn you all to heck!" :bigsmile:

Since I've been hanging out here, I've puchased my super.fi 5 Pro's, a bunch of cable parts, Sennheiser CX-300's, and Cresyn LMX-E630SN's. My name is Getwired, and I'm an iAudiophile.net forum addict. :lol:

Holy freak - I need to get out more. :jamming:

[dfkt]

Right now, I'm not considering any upgrades as of yet, but in the future once I start working and have saved enough cash, I'm planning to go for the Super.Fi 5 Pro, Shure E4c or the UE 10 Pro. I would consider the ER4P I guess, but problem lies in its microphonics.

A good choice... since you don't like the UM2's bass so much, then you wouldn't like the E5c either (since they're the same product). I mostly heard good stuff about the E4c's (but haven't tried them myself). -- I'm waiting for the E500's - they're already a myth (on head-fi.org at least) before they're on the market, let's see/hear the truth about them...

The Super.Fi's are just awesome - I don't think you can get any better IEMs at around $200,-. I love the sound of my EB's, but if you want slightly less bass, the Pro's might be a bit more 'audiophile'.

Of course noone can 'try' the custom-made UE10's - either you buy them or you don't. The only thing people keep complaining about the UE10's is their lack of soundstage, AFAIK. Otherwise they might be the most analytical IEMs out there.

I also never tried the ER4P/S, but I guess they do have as little bass as the ER6/i, so they're not for me, anyways... and I'm afraid I wouldn't get that harpoon-like shape out of my ears ever again! :winker:

Something of an 'underground' favorite in custom-made IEMs is the ACS T2i and T2 Pro (http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/musicians-monitors.htm). They're made in England, (a little) cheaper than the UE10's and should sound awesome. Do a search on head-fi.org for them, people seem to like them, but there's not so much written about them because they're no USA product, I guess (better for me, since I live in Europe...).

Here's a good review about the T2: http://t2prot2i.freewebpage.org/T2PROT2i.html

[dfkt]

Mr. dfkt hit the nail on the head with regard to the appearance of the 5 EB's -- they remind me of "thumbs" popping outta yer ears, and tend to make one look a little like Frankenstein IMO. I'm sure they sound great though! :winker:
The original prototype for the EB's:

http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/images/a/a9/Uhura2266.jpg

Yeah, the CX-300s are really nice, but between you and dfkt making me all "hot and bothered", I'll probably wind up with a pair of the ATH-CK7's as well! "Darn this forum! Darn you all to heck!" :bigsmile:

Since I've been hanging out here, I've puchased my super.fi 5 Pro's, a bunch of cable parts, Sennheiser CX-300's, and Cresyn LMX-E630SN's. My name is Getwired, and I'm an iAudiophile.net forum addict. :lol:

Holy freak - I need to get out more. :jamming:
So you better don't start posting on head-fi.org... their official greeting to new forum members is, "Welcome to Head-Fi. Sorry about your wallet." :bigsmile:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=154972
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=143338
etc...

[Zephyron]

'Welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet...' - A wonderful phrase I should say.

Hmm, I'm heavily eyeing the Super.Fi 5 Pro as of now, but I'm quite aware of the law of diminishing returns as well.

Lack of soundstage scratches the UE 10 off my list, now its between the E4C and the SuperFi 5 Pro. I'll go look around in my country if I can see anyone I can borrow a pair of E4Cs from, and in the mean time here, I'll wait till Getwired gets his ATH-CK7 and do up a review on it *wide grin*

Oh yes Getwired... Sorry about your wallet! XD
*dodges flying objects*

[dfkt]

Lack of soundstage scratches the UE 10 off my list, ...

Well, you have to see this in relation to the price... If that's the only bad thing to say about a $900,- IEM, it surely isn't that bad. IMO, no IEM has a very wide soundstage, compared to full sized headphones. I'm sure there are other good things about the UE10 that make you forget about the narrow soundstage. :winker:

But you should really consider the ACS T2, too, when going for a custom IEM.

Of course the Super.Fi is a great option for a lower price, and it has resale value, too (since it's not custom made).

[bigbabydaddy1968]

That's easily one of the most comprehensive reviews I've read of almost anything on any forum. Excellent job!

BTW, I am totally stealing/modding your line to go in my siggie. :moonu:

[dfkt]

So true, sadly... :bigthumbs

[Getwired]

Preach it, Reverend!

Yeah, I saw that Uhura pic while back on some other forum, and I still laughed my butt off today. 'Tis true Uhura, I think I'm in love with your Ultimate Ears!

http://www.startrek.pl/res/images/galleries/004/kirk-uhura.jpg

[fnord]

Hi, great review Zephyron,

Just wanted to ask what tips from other canal phones are compatible with the ck7? Would the tips from the shure e2 work with the ck7?

thanks

[Zephyron]

^Nope, the tip hole for the Shure e2c is too small for the CK7, so it wouldn't work.

Tips for the Panasonic HJE50, Sony MDR-EX51/71/81, Cresyn LMX-E630, Creative EP630, Apple In-Ears, Audio Technica ATH-CK5 and UE SuperFi 5 Studio and 5 Pro all work for the Audio Technica ATH-CK7.

[Zephyron]

My wallet hates me...

Had the chance to have the CK7 amped from my home sound system today... so much more balance and impact... I hate myself x.X

Now I wanna get an amplifier... *saves up for the PA2V2*

[fnord]

Thanks for that Zeph.

Hows the ck7 sound compared to the shure e2? Would it be considered an upgrade?

I'm not happy with the e2 and I'm deciding between the ck7 and the er6i.

Also, I noticed in some pictures the ck7 is worn like the shures but the phone comes out of the ear almost perpendicular to the ear instead of angled up like the shures. Is this comfortable? Can they be angled up like the shures?

Thanks again.

[Zephyron]

e2 to CK7 or ER6i is not an upgrade but rather a side grade.

Compared to the Shure e2c, the CK7 and ER6i has less bass but better mids and treble response they sound clearer as well. Femal vocals (To me at least) sound grainy on the e2 and there just simply enough treble for my tastes, making the Shure e2c sounding dark and veiled to me.

Between the ER6i and CK7 though, the ER6i performs better on overall detail and bass detail, but the CK7 has stronger bass impact and treble detail as compared to the ER6i.

The CK7, like the Shures, can be angled up over the ears and adjusted to the liking of your comfort, and yes, to me, they're comfortable, so its not strange for me to wear the CK7 lke 6 hours in a row when doing my animation assignments. I wear the CK7 like this all the way since they're a bit heavy when worn normally as their body is almost completely constructed out of titanium metal. :)

Depending on the size of your ears however, I recommend getting the Ultimate Ears Super.Fi Bi-flanged tips for the CK7 (like I did for mine) to improve isolation and fit it into your ears provided you have large ears.

PS: I like wearing the phones with cables over the ears, it eliminates microphonics and at the same time makes your earphones stand out differently from the rest of the crowd who're using default crappy earbuds from their players ;)

[dansus72]

hi all, just bought a 2gb U3 and before that a pair of these fab ck7 ti.

Ive had many players and headphones over the years and like most of you by the sounds of things have been looking the ultimate IE headphones for my tastes. Well i can confirm everything zeph says about the ck7, overall they rock.

To start with bass is creamy and smooth, but upper mids to treble is harsh to start with and do sound metallic, give em about 2 weeks to run and that soon disapeers to leave a great overall balance. nothing stands out, it just does it all well without shouting, perfect for long listening and seeing as i review podcasts for a living thats a must. These are the only 'phones ive ever had that i dont get cable rub with :notworthy , i think the ck7 will just get better and better with age, i love em and only cost me £75.

I did short review on these for podfly.com and even before reading this thread i was glad to see that i was about spot on. it was written for lamen types so excuse the simplicty but feel free to correct me. :winker:

thanks and look forward making the most of my U3 which whilst not the best player ive heard, is up there with em :bigthumbs

http://www.podfly.com/

[Zephyron]

^
I'll make a bold statement here, but being an owner of the U3 as well, the U3 sucks big time on low level volumes. Its dynamics is weak, far from the 60mW total output that Cowon promised us

The U3 reveals itself only when...
You push it beyond Volume 32 and up to volume 37 (On 38, 39 and 40, the U3 faces somewhat heavy harmonic distortion)

This is harmful for hearing, hence, now I force myself to use the EQ. Using the CK7, I put everything flat, BBE:1, M3B:0, MP Enhance: Off, 3D Pan:0
EQ:-8, -8, -8, -8, -8 to set the frequency spectrum flat and lower the volume output.

On volume 32 to volume 33 especially, get ready to hear the dynamics of the U3 take a leap, and a bit less of a jump from 33-34. Its not just the volume. The bass of the U3 will sound tighter and the highs crisper. This was the 'powerful sound' that Cowon promised us.

Note: All EQ '-10' on volume 34 is equivalent of listening to around volume 25 or 26 on flat EQ.

[dansus72]

yes i notice after the upgrade from 1.11 to 1.13 that the volume seemed lower, i was listening at 21 now 28 and sound ahs changed to a warmer feel. still seems ok and i agree the ck7 sound amaxing at 32+ but just a bit too loud.

is the U3 having trouble driving the ck7's? at 60mw you'd think not, i guess they need to release more power in the middle. 20-30 vol.

[Zephyron]

^No no, not that, the U3 has no difficulty driving the 16 Ohm impedance CK7 at all.

At 32+, Its definitely too loud, that's why I lower all the EQ levels to -8 to -10 to balance the volume out level. My U3 is now at volume 32-34, but its listening volume is moderated because of this. At all EQ settings 0, even 28 is too loud for me :)

The U3's 60mW rating isn't meant for low volume, at low volumes, it feels evenweaker than my old MuVo TX FM. Its at moderately high to high volumes where the U3 really shines, but just be sure to lower the EQ settings.

[dansus72]

Out of interest, i did a back to back test of the ck7 vs md33.

i hadnt listened to my md33 for a while and was pleasently surprised by the quality and espically the clarity, i was starting to wonder if i had convinced myself that the ck7's were better just becuase i had laid down more cash for them.
After 30 mins of listening i switched to the ck7 mid song... hello, wow, money well spent. maybe not quite the transparency of the md33 but just so smooth, espicially the bass.

incedently i have modified my md33 by cutting the cans in half around the air vents, then removed the lugs that act as a seperater, then after replacing the wires with a silver coated vairiety and used silver solder i glued the can back together again so that the vent is now gone. drilled a small hole in the middle of the outer can, (optional) about 1/2mm hole to let the air move and plugged her in. :nutty:

wayhay, what a difference. quite bassy now and better isolation. although you do seem to get more cable rub if your using rough cable like me. :jamming:

[Getwired]

...I tried your super.fi bi-flange trick on my CX-300's -- more over here (http://www.iaudiophile.net/forums/showthread.php?p=70186#post70186). :jamming:

[Zephyron]

^
No longer using the UE SuperFi Bi-Flange on my CK7, but rather using the large sized tips instead, since I think its now fully burnt in. A more even and balanced response have been recieved, and wow the treble details stand out even further. I didn't know what I've been missing ever since my burn in was done till I switched back to the normal single flanged sleeves today o.O

Gosh... songs sound rather revealing now, showing the detail prowess of the CK7

Sacrificed perhaps a teeny bit of isolation, but the CK7 sounds more aggressive and detailed now, with an ever so marginally improved soundstaging and a more impressive level of imaging and instrumental separation to boot :)
(I think its got something to do with the drivers sitting closer to the ears)

... Now what am I to do with 2 pars of my UE SuperFi Bi-Flange? o.O;;

Oh well... *Closes eyes and gets lost in the details and immersiveness of his classical pieces*

[dansus72]

ive found a problem with the ck7, well sort of... when listening to a live concert i kept having to looking around becuase i thought i could here people behind me, turns out it was the rustling of the artists coat as he was moving and shuffles of feet from the conductor.

now thats clarity and seperation.

:lol:

[Getwired]

ive found a problem with the ck7, well sort of... when listening to a live concert i kept having to looking around becuase i thought i could here people behind me, turns out it was the rustling of the artists coat as he was moving and shuffles of feet from the conductor.Well, send 'em on over to me then -- I'll take these problematic IEMs of yer hands... :bigsmile:

[dansus72]

still reckon the U3 is not doing them justice though, i listen to friends headphone amp today and i cant tell how extended and smooth the bass was, words couldnt do it justice, best IEM sound ive ever heard.

hmm, i reckon a A2 is looking tempting, bigger bat, stronger sound.

or should i have a go at in line amp like this weird but interesting thingy

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5878608369&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

how do you get this thing to host pics??

[Getwired]

I am surprised to see, however, that there are no mints jammed into the open spaces left in the tin to keep the battery from clangin' around in there... Bummer. How good could it be? :bigsmile:

http://www.pengamp.com/images/black/interior_400.jpg

[Zephyron]

So true... Listened to the U3 headphone out to CMOY amp belonging to my friend with the CK7... The word 'Solid' would be an understatement >.>;

Unfortunately though, there's another problem with the CK7... Its not very forgiving on low bitrate (128kbps) MP3 files and below.

[dansus72]

heres at tip to try, difficult to explain but if you spread the two bits cartilidge just above the lobe when inserting bud into your ear,
the ck7's sit about 1/2 mm further into the canal and seem more secure, giving me a shot extra bass. nice

ps this is with wires pointing downwards. :bigsmile:

[dansus72]

So true... Listened to the U3 headphone out to CMOY amp belonging to my friend with the CK7... The word 'Solid' would be an understatement >.>;

Unfortunately though, there's another problem with the CK7... Its not very forgiving on low bitrate (128kbps) MP3 files and below.

your right, very unforgiving. these are quality moniters and repoduce what you put in,

rubbish in - rubbish out, just the way moniters should.

[Zephyron]

heres at tip to try, difficult to explain but if you spread the two bits cartilidge just above the lobe when inserting bud into your ear,
the ck7's sit about 1/2 mm further into the canal and seem more secure, giving me a shot extra bass. nice

ps this is with wires pointing downwards. :bigsmile:
I always wear them the 'musician' style ala the Shures :)

They're more secure with my ears that way.

You're right about the CK7 being a quality monitor type. I had the chance to compare them with mid-high-end headphones and more expensive IEMs before.

Other than the soundstaging, the difference was barely night and day.

There were points at which I like the headphones and other IEMs before, but the CK7 just wins on overall balance.

CK7 and A900
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/RandomDrifter/Random%20photoes/CK7_A900.jpg
-I like the A900 quite a lot, have been considering whether I should get the A900, A900LTD or the DT880 as my next full-size can.
I have yet to test the A900LTD, but users seem to like them better over the A900.
-The bass on the A900 is a bit strong, but tight and not flabby, reminiscent of the CK7, but in greater amounts, and it has a lot of treble energy as well, more so than the CK7. Its mids however, does feel recessed when compared to the CK7.
-Clarity wise, the CK7 is on par with these cans but in terms of detail, the A900 does things better by quite a margin. Soundstaging wise, the A900 trashes the CK7, but hey, its like comparing apples and oranges so... *shrugs*
-Portability-wise, I admit that the A900 looks real stupid. Its horrifying how large they are. One must have a look at themselves in the mirror to know the size of these things for themselves. I nearly died laughing at how I liiked with these things :D
Once again, apples to oranges in terms of application, but yeah, aesthetically, the CK7 is more pleasing as compared to teh A900.
-Comfort wise... What can I say, I like the A900 a lot on this department.

CK7 and SR325
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/RandomDrifter/Random%20photoes/CK7_SR325.jpg
-Ho boy, where do I begin. I like the sound of the Grado SR325 as well, a huge jump from the SR60 and SR80 that I've spent time with.
IMO, in terms of tonal balance, clarity, timbre and even soundstaging, CK7 is better than the SR60 and SR80 by a long shot. The SR325 however, is a different story. Never tried the in-betweens but the first Grado that I tried that has any soundstaging whatsoever (though still limited).
-The SR325 is also on the similar side of the sound-spectrum as compared to the CK7, but they sound very 'fun'/colored, as opposed to the more 'neutral' nature of the CK7. Its detailing and imaging edges out the CK7 just marginally IMO, and the soundstage outdoes the CK7 just by a bit. Going back from the CK7 from the SR325 does make it feel as if the CK7 does sound a bit narrow however, but I got accustomed to the CK7 sound in a mere few minutes :)
-Comfort wise, the SR325 is not bad. Not as comfortable as the A900 IMO, a bit less than the CK7 as well, but still not bad, can be worn for extended periods of time.

[PSF-500SP]

Zephyron, sound you have a lot experience with the A900 series. Got a quick question. Do the sound quality on A900ti (http://www.warehouse123.com/store/product_information.php?pid=2497&ptext=Audio-Technica-ATH-A900Ti-DJ-Art-Monitor-Headphone-Silver) make a hug different? This is a limited edition. What is the qty availalbe on the market?

I always wear them the 'musician' style ala the Shures :)

They're more secure with my ears that way.

You're right about the CK7 being a quality monitor type. I had the chance to compare them with mid-high-end headphones and more expensive IEMs before.

Other than the soundstaging, the difference was barely night and day.

There were points at which I like the headphones and other IEMs before, but the CK7 just wins on overall balance.

CK7 and A900
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/RandomDrifter/Random%20photoes/CK7_A900.jpg
-I like the A900 quite a lot, have been considering whether I should get the A900, A900LTD or the DT880 as my next full-size can.
I have yet to test the A900LTD, but users seem to like them better over the A900.
-The bass on the A900 is a bit strong, but tight and not flabby, reminiscent of the CK7, but in greater amounts, and it has a lot of treble energy as well, more so than the CK7. Its mids however, does feel recessed when compared to the CK7.
-Clarity wise, the CK7 is on par with these cans but in terms of detail, the A900 does things better by quite a margin. Soundstaging wise, the A900 trashes the CK7, but hey, its like comparing apples and oranges so... *shrugs*
-Portability-wise, I admit that the A900 looks real stupid. Its horrifying how large they are. One must have a look at themselves in the mirror to know the size of these things for themselves. I nearly died laughing at how I liiked with these things :D
Once again, apples to oranges in terms of application, but yeah, aesthetically, the CK7 is more pleasing as compared to teh A900.
-Comfort wise... What can I say, I like the A900 a lot on this department.

CK7 and SR325
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/RandomDrifter/Random%20photoes/CK7_SR325.jpg
-Ho boy, where do I begin. I like the sound of the Grado SR325 as well, a huge jump from the SR60 and SR80 that I've spent time with.
IMO, in terms of tonal balance, clarity, timbre and even soundstaging, CK7 is better than the SR60 and SR80 by a long shot. The SR325 however, is a different story. Never tried the in-betweens but the first Grado that I tried that has any soundstaging whatsoever (though still limited).
-The SR325 is also on the similar side of the sound-spectrum as compared to the CK7, but they sound very 'fun'/colored, as opposed to the more 'neutral' nature of the CK7. Its detailing and imaging edges out the CK7 just marginally IMO, and the soundstage outdoes the CK7 just by a bit. Going back from the CK7 from the SR325 does make it feel as if the CK7 does sound a bit narrow however, but I got accustomed to the CK7 sound in a mere few minutes :)
-Comfort wise, the SR325 is not bad. Not as comfortable as the A900 IMO, a bit less than the CK7 as well, but still not bad, can be worn for extended periods of time.

[dfkt]

Good luck with your question, Zephyron has last been online THREE years ago...

[tai]

I just got a pair of CK-7s in Hong Kong today, $760HKD. Good, clear sound, probably a slight V response frequency. I attached the oval caps from my CK-6 set; the CK-7s only come with circular pieces. a The sales clerk let me try a set of CK90s ($1170 HKD) which he said was the "next model up" from audio technica, featuring dual drivers.
The CK90 is drastically different from the CK7, with much stronger and richer mids. I could clearly hear the instrumental background, particularly electric guitar, just as clearly as the vocals, whereas on my CK-6/CK-7 the vocal is always the dominant voice.

Compared to the CK6, it sounded really "busy", good for more technical purposes (i.e. true monitor usage) but it would probably give me headaches for everyday listening. However, the CK-6 is a much more comfortable fit, especially considering my small ear canals and that they include an assortment of caps and clips so it's guaranteed to fit comfortably.

[Deja]

Can I get a quick clarification on which CK7's your talking about?? Sorry if I missed it but... which Drivers.. etc ..

From this list: http://bit.ly/4MxxvH ??

Thanks