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Audio-Technica's First Triple-Driver IEM: ATH-CK100

post #1 of 139
10/16/08 at 12:55pm
Thread Starter 
At a press conference yesterday, Audio-Technica announced their lineup for November. Three models were present, including the first triple-driver universal IEM ever produced by a Japanese manufacturer.

AT boasts that their new CK100 is the smallest three-driver IEM on the market (as of September 2008). In typical AT fashion, the housing is made of titanium, and weighs only 4 grams.




Also at the event was an entry level model to the CKM series. The CKM30 comes in black, brown, red, purple, orange, and white.




A portable supra-aural headphone, the FW5, was also announced.



All of the announced products will officially launch in Japan on November 21.
The CK100 will retail for ¥56,700 (≈$564.35), the CKM30 for ¥3675 (≈$36.60), and the FW5's MSRP is ¥6300 (≈$62.70).

オーディオテクニカ、トリプル・バランスド・アーマチュア方式のカナル型イヤホンなど発売 - Phile-web News (Japanese)
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post #2 of 139
10/16/08 at 1:05pm
$564.35? Not another stupidly overpriced IEM from Audio-Technica, they have been really disappointing in that front. They should consider buying Sleek Audio, cause the SA6 is a far better representation of the Audio-Technica signature sound than any of their IEM offerings.
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post #3 of 139
10/16/08 at 2:38pm
no need to sling mug before they have been sampled, audio technica does have its good headphones,
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post #4 of 139
10/16/08 at 2:47pm
Interesting, but the price is bone shaking.
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post #5 of 139
10/16/08 at 2:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by antonyfirst View Post
Interesting, but the price is bone shaking.
Definitely agree with that.
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post #6 of 139
10/16/08 at 2:50pm
yeh audio technica is good, that triple driver iem looks a poor design, dont look like its an over ear loop, jst hanging down style. thats just the idea i get tho, is it 3 way or 2 way.

reason i ask is because 3 way would justify the price, beating westone 3 to the mark for first ever 3 way universal to the market
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post #7 of 139
10/16/08 at 3:36pm
I think it must be a 2 way as it's being touted as "the first triple-driver universal IEM ever produced by a Japanese manufacturer" rather than "first true 3 way triple-driver universal IEM ever produced".

They look great, and I thought they were an interesting proposition before I saw the price, but not anymore. I'd rather pay the same or less and get a custom triple-driver. I'm sure it'll come down in price eventually ... it really needs to. What would AT prefer - a small amount of sales way out at the very top end of the universal market circa $550 or a decent share of the top end of the market selling at around $350.
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post #8 of 139
10/16/08 at 3:51pm
Thread Starter 
I agree that the price for the CK100 is way to high, but the actual street prices (at least in Japan) should be somewhat lower.
For example, ESW9's MSRP is ¥36,000, but Amazon.co.jp sells them for ¥20,473.
Another example is the CK9, which Amazon Japan sells for ¥11,365, even though AT's list price is ¥22,050.
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post #9 of 139
10/16/08 at 4:20pm
Another Japanese article said, in comparison to Triple.fi 10 Pro that has 1 driver for treble and 2 drivers for mid/bass, CK-100 has 2 drivers for treble/mid and 1 driver for bass. That's an interesting point.
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post #10 of 139
10/16/08 at 5:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jinx20001 View Post
yeh audio technica is good, that triple driver iem looks a poor design, dont look like its an over ear loop, jst hanging down style. thats just the idea i get tho, is it 3 way or 2 way.

reason i ask is because 3 way would justify the price, beating westone 3 to the mark for first ever 3 way universal to the market
Aren't the Shure SE530 and UE triple.fi both 3 way driver universal IEMs? I dont think Westone UM3 is going to be the first on the market by a long shot.
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post #11 of 139
10/16/08 at 5:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by musicmind View Post
Aren't the Shure SE530 and UE triple.fi both 3 way driver universal IEMs? I dont think Westone UM3 is going to be the first on the market by a long shot.
no the se530 and triple fi 10 are not 3 way, 3 driver yes, 3 way no.

3 way means if the crossover splits the frequency range up into 3 seperate components, for example the se530 is a 3 driver 2 way earphone, its crossover puts the highs and mids to one driver (yes one) , the bass however is sent to the 2 remaining drivers, this is why they are described as having twin bass drivers.

a 3 way earphone will have a crossover that seperates the freq range 3 times, the bass, mids and highs will all have thier own driver, seperated by the 3 way crossover, the se530 and triple fi dont do this, hence...this is why the westone 3 is such a hot prospect because it does do that, and this has the potential to make the music sound even better and well produced
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post #12 of 139
10/16/08 at 5:33pm
may I ask why you rate a 530 over a ue10 or livewires? or is it that it is not in order?
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post #13 of 139
10/16/08 at 6:38pm
If you're going to spend that much money on IEMs, why not get customs? Hell, livewires are even cheaper.
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post #14 of 139
10/16/08 at 7:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kjk1281 View Post
Am I the only one that feels these look edible? In fact they look delicious.
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post #15 of 139
10/16/08 at 7:21pm
Thanks for the clarification jinx2001. I hadn't read the SE530 and triple.fi data specs indepth to notice that they were in fact using their 3 drivers in a 2-way configuration.




Quote:
Originally Posted by jinx20001 View Post
no the se530 and triple fi 10 are not 3 way, 3 driver yes, 3 way no.

3 way means if the crossover splits the frequency range up into 3 seperate components, for example the se530 is a 3 driver 2 way earphone, its crossover puts the highs and mids to one driver (yes one) , the bass however is sent to the 2 remaining drivers, this is why they are described as having twin bass drivers.

a 3 way earphone will have a crossover that seperates the freq range 3 times, the bass, mids and highs will all have thier own driver, seperated by the 3 way crossover, the se530 and triple fi dont do this, hence...this is why the westone 3 is such a hot prospect because it does do that, and this has the potential to make the music sound even better and well produced
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