A fun, overall great sounding IEM with great details, large soundstage, and precise instrument...

My guesss is that the majority view will be to get CK10

There are couple Triple-Fi 10's and the CK10's, just realised both got the 10 common

I would recommend the CK10's

^ In another thread you state that you do not know if the TF10 is worth $200, yet you recommend it here as an option at that price point. Your signature doesn't list the CK10 or the TF10. Do you have first hand experience with either of the phones that you are recommending to the OP?

^^ You guys are funny ... CK10 for everyone ... oh, my!

not a suggestion for the OP really..but CK10 is over 200 probably closer to 250 at this point until more stores get them back in stock

Triple.Fi 10 is the main one I'd lean you towards.

The top end might be a touch bright but isn't harsh or even fatiguing, at least to me. A foam tip will soften the top end too if it is a little strong for your taste.

Some consider the bass to be slightly bloated, well more so recessed mids. Again, tip choice will be a factor in response.

I would kind of lean you towards the UM3X too, but that's outside of your budget range and maybe a little too in-your-face for what you're looking for. The stage size extends to infinity but you start right up on stage in terms of perception. It does have one of the most accurate placements and separation I've heard in an earphone. It also has some of the best detail I've heard and will point out little details you've never head before. The UM3X is one of my favorite earphones. You might opt and try the UM2 or UM1 as more cost effective options, depending on what kind of details you can find new or used. The UM2 uses the same armature driver that's used in the Etymotic ER4P but adds a bass driver to aid the low end. The Etymotic ER4 line is one I would highly suggest as well and can be found affordably used. It will offer a lot of what you want short maybe some bass extension, hence maybe opt for the UM2 if you can find a used one cheap. Mind you the ER4 really isn't lacking in frequency response but rather it just rolls off a little early (think minimal information below 60Hz).

Basically because of the massive price cuts of the Triple.Fi 10 due to UE's and Amazon's Christmas season deal, the Triple.Fi 10 is basically the best bang for the buck option out there, and it still remains relatively cheap compared to it's pre-Dec 09 regular pricing. It may not be your perfection, but it will offer a lot of what you're looking for.

I am also looking for something under $200. So far the IE7 is my number one choice. Are you ruling out the IE7 entirely?

Also for anyone that knows first hand. How does the CK10 soundstage compare to IE7?

Was pointing out rather than recommending James444

I could be wrong but I kinda doubt it considering how many have recently jumped onthe CK10 bandwagon.

If you mean iponderous's post I do not believe that was directed at you but kunalraiker

I also would like to know if you have owned either or both CK10 and TF10. If your signature is accurate you have heard neither which makes it hard to recommend what you have not heard but only read.

You're right, sorry for that. So you haven't heard the CK10 then?

What exactly do you doubt? I didn't get it.

Yes, I knew that rawrster. My comment was directed at james444 as he used the plural "guys" so I just wanted to clarify things. As james correctly pointed out above, the CK10 may not meet that aspect of the OP`s criteria which is why I fall short of recommending the CK10.

But my guess is still that they will be the most recommended but maybe james has preempted that from happening!

I`ve heard the ck10 as I actually own a pair. right now, the ck10 seem to be the darling of this forum and as they meet most of the poster`s criteria, I was guessing they get recommended more than any other IEM.

People get bored of them I think because they aren't wild. They're well balanced, well refined, and dynamically tame. There isn't the wow factor there. They just perform well. It's something you don't realize until you use other products and then switch back to them. Every time you try something else and go back to them you realize how good they are, but you never really are aware of it when you're just using them. For example I had the IE8, UM3X, and SE530 as other earphones while I had my Triple.Fi 10. I had them all to simply try out for a few months and compare. The Triple.Fi 10 never really impressed in the sense that you say wow while you're listening. The IE8 had lots of bass, the UM3X and excellent sound stage and dynamics, and the SE530 outstand midrange and high detail. The Triple.Fi 10 was just sort of meh. However, every time you went back to the Triple.Fi 10 you could always see it was better overall. The balance and level of refinement was just better. I personally liked the UM3X the best but I'm a dynamics and sound stage whore, but from a functional, logical standpoint, I always saw the Triple.Fi 10 as the better product even though I enjoyed the UM3X more.

I think some people shy away from them because they do kind of break after a year or two. The cable can go bad and the glue used or the plastic itself seems to deteriorate/fatigue and break apart. It's really a matter of how you use them though, and it's not like glued plastic parts isn't uncommon in head-fi. It's just that Triple.Fi 10s are (were) not cheap and didn't last forever like they "should." Longevity is all in how you use it. I had an old set of generic Aiwa earbuds for damn near 20 years before the housing cracked one day (might have sat or stepped on them), 20 years! I really can't foresee my Triple.Fi 10s ever going back in the next few years simply because of how you use them. If you take them everywhere and toss them in your bag or pocket, you'll see a much shorter life expectancy.

Is the Triple.Fi 1o the best fit for you? I have no clue. Will you even like them? I don't know. All I can say is from a logical perspective, they are one of the better functioning options out there and one of the better values out there. For the $200 price limit, I can think of nothing else that is holistically better. Now I haven't used every earphone out there though, so my awareness of the entire spectrum of products is largely holed. For what I have used, I can really only suggest the Triple.Fi 10 as the most fitting.

If you want to look more, there are a number of reviews threads that have a LOT of the best options out there listed and explained in some detail.