Impressions of the Ortofon e-Q7 versus the IE8, CK100, SE530, FX500 and X10 (plus CK10 discussion... - Page 16

Instead of multiplying the drivers which introduces cross-over issues, the best of both world could very well be this new BA-dynamic hybrid type driver that equips.... the E-Q7, hence its price. That's what pianist meant by "newly developed moving armature driver". It's not just a single BA driver IEM.

ck10s while listening to above and beyond podcasts anyone? are the ck10s truly the best iems available solely for trance?

Did you read the OPs comparison on page 1 of this thread? e-Q7 is anything but sloppy and competes easily with top multi-driver BA IEMs.

I do wish that you'd begin to qualify your didactic pronouncements with an "IMO".

Hi james,

Shigzeo also said that CK10 bass was rather like a knock on the door more than anything else. I actually likened the kick drum in Hotel Cali to a tap on the door, so I totally agree with him about the bass (and lack of impact).

I tried listening with no EQ for a few hours, but to be honest, I hated it. The bass is just too quiet for me, and without the quantity and impact, I feel like half the music's missing.

As for bass quality, well, I get confused about this. It has no reverb to speak of at all (to my ears. It's there and it's gone, which doesn't sound natural to me). In some tracks with deep rumbling bass, there is still no reverb even with EQ on - so boosting it doesn't change its nature, it just makes it louder. I actually prefer the CK100 bass to the CK10, but the e-Q7 is better than both in my opinion, with a less inhibited and more realistic presentation of how drums and bass guitars actually sound.

Having said all that, I really do like the CK10's glass-like treble, which I can certainly imagine isn't everyone's cup of tea. It's definitely the dominant frequency, and on brightly-recorded albums like some Ryko remasters I have, it's a little too shrill to listen to without wincing. Fortunately, I don't have many of them so it's not really an issue, just pointing out when the treble can be 'too much'.

But... I do love the clarity of the overall sound signature, possibly more than the e-Q7's. I think I've been gradually veering away from a smooth sound to something brighter and more aggressive, and the CK10 are definitely not as smooth as the UM3x, IE8 or e-Q7. I'm still in the honeymoon period at the moment though, so my thoughts might change

Oh, and it seems almost sacrilegious to bring this into the equation - but I tested the CK10 and e-Q7's on my Nokia E52... yes, a lowly phone... and I was amazed at how different they both sounded. The E52 is very warm sounding, and it made the e-Q7 and CK10 sound much fuller but with with a smaller soundstage. It took any 'edge' off the CK10 treble too. If I hadn't known I'd changed source, I would have thought I was listening to different gear! I'm going to test with my other Sony daps for no other reason than mindless curiosity

Hi soozieq,

Your thoughtful and balanced posts make for a welcome change from the didacticism to which, some Head-Fiers are prone. How does the treble, mid-range, detail retrieval, instrument separation, soundstage and overall clarity of the e-Q7 compare to the CK10? I think that about covers it as you've already commented on the bass. And I have to ask, do you have a preferred phone out of the two?

You take away the incredible instrument separation characteristic of UM3X and it becomes a very ordinary (almost boring) IEM IMHO.

I started having some wired channel disbalance issues on my e-Q7. This may have to do with fit. The right channel is usually less clear and quieter than the left, which can be very annoying at times. When I switch the sides, the problem persists - the right is still quieter, so it's not a problem with the IEM itself. It's also not a problem with my ears, since I actually have weaker hearing in my left ear. So must be the fit I guess. Also, I notice that I get moisture accumulation around the filters even after using the e-Q7 for a short period of time (under 30 minutes). I wonder if this may harm the driver.

I didn't find the instrument separation of the UM3X "incredible". It also had a small soundstage that was bordering on constricted to my ears. I did regard it as a "boring" listen that seemed to suck the life out of the music.

wow is the ortofon eq7 that difficult to get a good fit ?

For me yes, but I have very narrow ear canals, especially in my right ear. I had even bigger problems fitting Shure SE530 and Westone 3 into my ears. With W3 sound was terribly congested, while with SE530 the pressure in my ears was very painful I couldn't stand wearing them for more than 30 minutes.

The only IEM that fit me really well was q-jays.

I've seen somewhere that if moisture is absorbed by the drivers of an earphone that it may deteriorate the sound over a period of time since it adds mass/weight (non scientific distinction) to the transducing element ( driver). Greater mass to the drivers implies that they may not be able to start and stop as precisely since their is more inertia. This may among other things affect bass performance, transient attack, ckarity etc. While I do not disagree with such a proposition I am not sure how applicable it is to a hybrid "Dyna-armature"

You may be the first poster on Head-Fi to not agree that their instrument separation isn't WAY above normal. It's the first thing everyone points to. I have never listen to any IEM that was even close to the instrument separation of UM3X. ER4S starts to get close but still not on the same caliber.

Regarding soundstage, it's designed to be a stage monitor so it's not suppose to have a large soundstage and yes, it can sound too closed in and congested to some people.