Please read this before you continue: My impressions will probably vary with others, and they are subjective due to my own personal preferences, hearing, and experiences. The CK100 is also the only mid-oriented IEM I have heard besides headphones, so please keep that in mind. Be sure to check out my second post after reading this comparison. YMMV.
Introduction
After owning the CK10 for about 4 months now, I was curious as to how the CK10 would stack up to the CK100. The more I researched, the more I wanted to listen to them. Is the price difference worth it? Is the CK100 an upgrade or a side grade? Now that I finally have them, I can find out for myself.
Price (USD)
ATH-CK10
Date released: ~December 2007
Current price USD: $200-$315
ATH-CK100
Date released: ~December 2008 (Japan only)
Current price USD: $389-$395 (Japanese street price ~ $320)
Where to buy: SEYO-shop.com
Fit, Comfort, and Isolation
With all three criteria taken into consideration: simply amazing. The CK10 goes in slightly deeper than the CK100 due to the smaller housing and angled nozzle. The CK10’s fit can be trickier at first due to its design, but once you get accustomed to them, they are superb. The CK10 is more dependent on insertion depth and tips than the CK100. Both isolate very well, and with a versatile nozzle, many different tips are compatible. Same length and same diameter nozzle. Both are extremely comfortable.
Check my post#2 below for more information on tips for both the CK10 and CK100.
Check my post#2 below for other member’s pictures of both worn in ear.
Build
This is one area which can easily be a deal breaker for me. I might be one of the few out there who holds build quality in very high regard: almost equal to sound quality. As the price increases, the build becomes more important to me. No build is perfect and there will be flaws, but I like for whatever I buy to last as long as possible. With that said, I feel that the CK100 is the best built IEM I have ever set my eyes on with the CK10 following closely behind. You can immediately tell the difference in craftsmanship and quality compared to other brands. Simple yet elegant design. The CK100 is the reference build in my opinion.
Housing
The CK10’s housing is close to being a unibody design. The backing and nozzle is made of plastic, while the rest of the stainless steel body is covered in rubber. Very compact and low-profile.
The CK100’s housing consists of two parts: a harder, denser plastic backing and beautiful titanium half shell. Both are infinitesimally small. The diameter of the housing is a hairline smaller than the diameter of the small stock silicon tip.
Dime sized comparison.
Stress Relief
This is where the CK100 has the CK10 clearly beat in my opinion. The CK100’s stress relief is a separate piece that is connected to the plastic housing. The stress relief on the CK100 is made from what feels like very hard rubber (almost like plastic), so it is much sturdier. The cable is also fastened properly to relieve strain. The CK100’s left stress relief also has a small bump to denote that it is the left side.
The CK10’s stress relief is part of the housing itself. It is a semi-soft rubber tube. Only downside is that the wire is not properly relieved of strain. Even with this very minor gripe, the CK10 is still one of the best built IEM in my opinion.
Cable
The cable is the same on both. The slider tube is very nice. Low-profile Y-split. Beefy 3.5mm plugs. Only difference is that the CK10 is a straight plug while the CK100 consists of an L-plug. The same cable is used on their higher end ESW9 portable headphones. The cable is thick, soft, and very flexible. No microphonics whatsoever. It is the best cable in my opinion. Yes, better than Westone. Too bad it is only used on their higher end models.
No matter how well-built something is, it is always best to take good care of it, especially at these prices.
Enough rambling about the build. On to what most of you came here for.
Sound
Test Setup
I will be testing both mainly on my iPhone 3G and NuForce uDAC. Listening done on my iPhone 3G is unamped. All low to moderate listening volume. All songs are 320kbps mp3 CD rips or iTunes AAC. A variety of other songs and genres were also used, but I did not include them below. Anything related to frequency response was recorded by my ears with sine sweeps and only included them to show where the emphasis was at. They are not accurate nor does it show the entire picture.
Tips Used
I will be using Sony Hybrid Tips (EP-EX10A) on both CK10 and CK100.
My track list:
I apologize if you have never heard or don’t like any of the songs/artists that I have chosen below.
My rock test.
CK10: Electric guitars, snares, and cymbals have that certain bite, snap, and shimmer to them. The electric guitar is just awesome. Great for rockin’ out!
CK100: Vocals are forward and slightly thicker and warmer in comparison. Not slightly forward, not noticeably in-your-face forward - just forward. Guitars are more forward but are not as aggressive sounding. Snares snap, but not as much in comparison. Cymbals sparkle but are slightly softer than the CK10. Better sense of space.
The aggressiveness and warmness of the CK100 is in between the CK10 and Monster Copper, with the CK10 sounding the most aggressive and least warm. I know this is vague, but it is the only other IEM I have at the moment. The CK10 and CK100 are nowhere near Grado 225i aggressive or bright, but aggressive in comparison to each other and the Copper.
Back on topic: With so little information on the CK100, I didn’t know what to expect. To my surprise, the CK100 performed very well with other rock/alternative /indie/post-rock songs I threw at them. Though I prefer the CK10 more for rock, the CK100 is no slouch. (air guitar)
2)Asobi Seksu – Blind Little Rain
Acoustic reworks of their older stuff. From the album Rewolf, Yuki Chikudate’s vocals can best be described as innocent and mesmerizing – ethereal.
CK10: Drop dead gorgeous vocals that just soar beyond the clouds near the end.
CK100: Vocals are forward. Very impressive and more lively.
What do I mean by lively? When comparing the CK100 to the Copper, the vocals seem more alive – more emotional. You hear the emotion on the Copper. The CK100 makes you feel the emotion. The CK10 falls somewhere in between.
Oh so detailed yet musical. Disregard the band name, this is pure aural seksu. (pun intended)
3)Cosmic Gate – Body of Conflict (feat. Denise Rivera)
Vocal trance test.
CK10: Very tight, controlled, and punchy bass. The perfect amount of bass. Great bass impact. Effortless in clarity and detail. Great sense of space. Very neutral sounding in comparison to the CK100.
CK100: Different presentation than the CK10 right from the start. More atmospheric feeling and better sense of space than CK10. Bass impact is nearly identical to me. Vocals are more forward than the CK10.
Both have plenty of bass, possess impressive speed, and are very transparent. The CK100 gives you a more atmospheric feeling compared to the CK10. When I listen to other trance and vocal trance songs, both are top notch.
4)Spoon – The Underdog
A shaker, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, tambourine, 3-piece brass, drums, and hand claps. What more do you want?
CK10: Everything is easily distinguished and separated. Good placement and positioning.
CK100: The first thing I notice is that the bass guitar is slightly more up front and the tambourine and shaker moves slightly back. Slightly forward vocals. Better sense of space. Fuller bottom end on bass guitar and drums. Fuller sounding presentation overall.
Basically, the CK10 seems to portray each instrument more separately and individually, where as the CK100 more of a whole if that makes any sense.
5)Susan Wong – Close To You
CK10: Slight emphasis in upper mids. Sweeter sounding in comparison to the CK100. Lovely! Just lovely!
CK100: Forward mids compared to the CK10. Slight emphasis in lower mids. Lovely!
I’ll say it again: Lovely!
6)Utada Hikaru – Flavor of Life (Ballad Version)
Can’t leave out Japan’s biggest pop star. Utada Hikaru has one of best vocals I have ever heard.
CK10 and CK100: Perfection…
Bass
Anyone who is looking for bass like the TF10, Sennheisers, Denons, Monster or something similar to those will be disappointed. The CK10 and CK100 are not bass monsters. They have the perfect amount of bass to me. Neither light nor overpowering – just the right amount.
To my ears, the CK10 has better bass extension than the CK100. The CK10 seems to extend lower than the CK100.
The CK100 starts to roll-off earlier than the CK10 to my ears. Nothing too serious in my opinion. The CK100 have slightly more quantity overall, noticeably more mid-bass. Like the CK10, it doesn’t get in the way of other frequencies. Both are still very, very close in terms of impact. More fuller sounding bottom end than the CK10. Both are very tight, punchy, and fast.
Mids
The CK10 has very neutral and flat mids. Very balanced.
The CK100: Forward. The mids defines the CK100. The entire midrange is forward with an absolute peak right around 2kHZ., but it is still fairly flat – like a plateau. Very dependent on recording, genre, and/or source whether or not the mids are noticeably more forward.
My only reference for forwardness of the CK100’s mids is with fuller sized headphones since I have not heard any other mid-oriented phones. The forwardness is slightly more than the ATH-AD2000 and less than the Grado 225i. Much closer to the AD2000 to my ears.
Overall, both are silky smooth.
Upper Midrange (2-6kHz)
The CK10 has some emphasis on the upper mids. There is a slight bump at 6 kHz. Smooth and never harsh to my ears.
The CK10 is brighter in comparison to the CK100. Overall, the CK100 is very refined and smooth.
Treble
The CK10 has very crisp highs. The CK10 is slightly more pronounced than the CK100. A peak is present right around 10 kHz.
Both are great with extension of the highs, but the CK10 is slightly more extended.
The CK100 is not as crisp as the CK10, but it has very refined highs compared to the CK10. There is a relative peak at around 10 kHz. Very smooth. Those who find the CK100’s treble to be “hot” will find the CK10 to be “hotter” without EQ’ing.
The CK10 has more treble energy than the CK100. Both are very airy, clean and articulate.
Sound Summary
Both are great for low listening volumes. Both have effortless clarity and detail while being very musical at the same time. Both have impressive transparency, instrument separation, and speed. Neither sibilant nor harsh. Extremely smooth. Bass impact is nearly identical.
The CK10 is upper mids/treble focused. The CK10 is slightly more effortless with clarity and detail retrieval due to a more neutral and analytical yet musical sound. The CK10 is also bright depending on the source, genre, and/or recording. Neutral mids and sweeter sounding with higher pitched vocals in comparison. Very crisp highs. Better positioning. Great sense of space. Better extension on both ends. More articulate.
The CK100 is mid-oriented. Love it/hate it forward mids depending on personal preferences. All the subtleties can still be heard but not quite as effortless overall as the CK10. The CK100 has slightly more bass quantity overall than the CK10, mainly in the mid-bass region; bass impact is almost identical to my ears. Slight bass roll-off compared to the CK10. The CK100 has a fuller sounding bottom end in comparison. Slightly thicker, warmer, and livelier sounding vocals in comparison. Crisp highs. Bigger soundstage than the CK10 with great atmosphere and sense of space.
Conclusion
The CK10 is very versatile with multiple setups and genres. Great for those that like to travel light. Best of all, it is cheaper than the CK100 for those on a budget. Very tip and fit dependent.
The CK100 is a hidden gem that can be great or horrible depending on the setup, genre, and/or personal preferences. Very dependent on source. Very high risk with potentially an even higher reward. Time and patience is required with them.
Is the CK100 price worth it? If you can find them close to the Japanese street price, then it might be well worth it. The reason I say might is because it will come down to personal preferences and/or setup whether you will like it or not. Is the CK100 an upgrade or a side grade from the CK10? Two different flavors. Again, personal preferences will come into play. I hate choosing sides, but if I had to choose one, it would be the CK10 due to the reasons posted above. The most important factor is that both are very fun and engaging in my book. I love both!
All CK10 owners out there can be at ease if you really enjoy the CK10’s sound. In my opinion, you have one of the best.
You can read all you want, but the only way to know if you will like either IEM or not is to actually listen to them.
The truth is: I have been chasing after something that doesn’t exist. Sometimes the closest thing to the truth is in your ears, another purchase away, or even both, but you just don’t realize it. With that said, it looks like Christmas came early this year for me as I will end up keeping both forever.
I can honestly say that I am done. For now at least.
Dear Santa,
All I want for Christmas is to leave Head-Fi for good! Is that too much (money) to ask for?
Introduction
After owning the CK10 for about 4 months now, I was curious as to how the CK10 would stack up to the CK100. The more I researched, the more I wanted to listen to them. Is the price difference worth it? Is the CK100 an upgrade or a side grade? Now that I finally have them, I can find out for myself.
Price (USD)
ATH-CK10
Date released: ~December 2007
Current price USD: $200-$315
ATH-CK100
Date released: ~December 2008 (Japan only)
Current price USD: $389-$395 (Japanese street price ~ $320)
Where to buy: SEYO-shop.com
Fit, Comfort, and Isolation
With all three criteria taken into consideration: simply amazing. The CK10 goes in slightly deeper than the CK100 due to the smaller housing and angled nozzle. The CK10’s fit can be trickier at first due to its design, but once you get accustomed to them, they are superb. The CK10 is more dependent on insertion depth and tips than the CK100. Both isolate very well, and with a versatile nozzle, many different tips are compatible. Same length and same diameter nozzle. Both are extremely comfortable.
Check my post#2 below for more information on tips for both the CK10 and CK100.
Check my post#2 below for other member’s pictures of both worn in ear.
Build
This is one area which can easily be a deal breaker for me. I might be one of the few out there who holds build quality in very high regard: almost equal to sound quality. As the price increases, the build becomes more important to me. No build is perfect and there will be flaws, but I like for whatever I buy to last as long as possible. With that said, I feel that the CK100 is the best built IEM I have ever set my eyes on with the CK10 following closely behind. You can immediately tell the difference in craftsmanship and quality compared to other brands. Simple yet elegant design. The CK100 is the reference build in my opinion.
Housing
The CK10’s housing is close to being a unibody design. The backing and nozzle is made of plastic, while the rest of the stainless steel body is covered in rubber. Very compact and low-profile.
The CK100’s housing consists of two parts: a harder, denser plastic backing and beautiful titanium half shell. Both are infinitesimally small. The diameter of the housing is a hairline smaller than the diameter of the small stock silicon tip.
Dime sized comparison.
Stress Relief
This is where the CK100 has the CK10 clearly beat in my opinion. The CK100’s stress relief is a separate piece that is connected to the plastic housing. The stress relief on the CK100 is made from what feels like very hard rubber (almost like plastic), so it is much sturdier. The cable is also fastened properly to relieve strain. The CK100’s left stress relief also has a small bump to denote that it is the left side.
The CK10’s stress relief is part of the housing itself. It is a semi-soft rubber tube. Only downside is that the wire is not properly relieved of strain. Even with this very minor gripe, the CK10 is still one of the best built IEM in my opinion.
Cable
The cable is the same on both. The slider tube is very nice. Low-profile Y-split. Beefy 3.5mm plugs. Only difference is that the CK10 is a straight plug while the CK100 consists of an L-plug. The same cable is used on their higher end ESW9 portable headphones. The cable is thick, soft, and very flexible. No microphonics whatsoever. It is the best cable in my opinion. Yes, better than Westone. Too bad it is only used on their higher end models.
No matter how well-built something is, it is always best to take good care of it, especially at these prices.
Enough rambling about the build. On to what most of you came here for.
Sound
Test Setup
I will be testing both mainly on my iPhone 3G and NuForce uDAC. Listening done on my iPhone 3G is unamped. All low to moderate listening volume. All songs are 320kbps mp3 CD rips or iTunes AAC. A variety of other songs and genres were also used, but I did not include them below. Anything related to frequency response was recorded by my ears with sine sweeps and only included them to show where the emphasis was at. They are not accurate nor does it show the entire picture.
Tips Used
I will be using Sony Hybrid Tips (EP-EX10A) on both CK10 and CK100.
My track list:
I apologize if you have never heard or don’t like any of the songs/artists that I have chosen below.
1)Anberlin - Paperthin Hymn
My rock test.
CK10: Electric guitars, snares, and cymbals have that certain bite, snap, and shimmer to them. The electric guitar is just awesome. Great for rockin’ out!
CK100: Vocals are forward and slightly thicker and warmer in comparison. Not slightly forward, not noticeably in-your-face forward - just forward. Guitars are more forward but are not as aggressive sounding. Snares snap, but not as much in comparison. Cymbals sparkle but are slightly softer than the CK10. Better sense of space.
The aggressiveness and warmness of the CK100 is in between the CK10 and Monster Copper, with the CK10 sounding the most aggressive and least warm. I know this is vague, but it is the only other IEM I have at the moment. The CK10 and CK100 are nowhere near Grado 225i aggressive or bright, but aggressive in comparison to each other and the Copper.
Back on topic: With so little information on the CK100, I didn’t know what to expect. To my surprise, the CK100 performed very well with other rock/alternative /indie/post-rock songs I threw at them. Though I prefer the CK10 more for rock, the CK100 is no slouch. (air guitar)
2)Asobi Seksu – Blind Little Rain
Acoustic reworks of their older stuff. From the album Rewolf, Yuki Chikudate’s vocals can best be described as innocent and mesmerizing – ethereal.
CK10: Drop dead gorgeous vocals that just soar beyond the clouds near the end.
CK100: Vocals are forward. Very impressive and more lively.
What do I mean by lively? When comparing the CK100 to the Copper, the vocals seem more alive – more emotional. You hear the emotion on the Copper. The CK100 makes you feel the emotion. The CK10 falls somewhere in between.
Oh so detailed yet musical. Disregard the band name, this is pure aural seksu. (pun intended)
3)Cosmic Gate – Body of Conflict (feat. Denise Rivera)
Vocal trance test.
CK10: Very tight, controlled, and punchy bass. The perfect amount of bass. Great bass impact. Effortless in clarity and detail. Great sense of space. Very neutral sounding in comparison to the CK100.
CK100: Different presentation than the CK10 right from the start. More atmospheric feeling and better sense of space than CK10. Bass impact is nearly identical to me. Vocals are more forward than the CK10.
Both have plenty of bass, possess impressive speed, and are very transparent. The CK100 gives you a more atmospheric feeling compared to the CK10. When I listen to other trance and vocal trance songs, both are top notch.
4)Spoon – The Underdog
A shaker, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, tambourine, 3-piece brass, drums, and hand claps. What more do you want?
CK10: Everything is easily distinguished and separated. Good placement and positioning.
CK100: The first thing I notice is that the bass guitar is slightly more up front and the tambourine and shaker moves slightly back. Slightly forward vocals. Better sense of space. Fuller bottom end on bass guitar and drums. Fuller sounding presentation overall.
Basically, the CK10 seems to portray each instrument more separately and individually, where as the CK100 more of a whole if that makes any sense.
5)Susan Wong – Close To You
CK10: Slight emphasis in upper mids. Sweeter sounding in comparison to the CK100. Lovely! Just lovely!
CK100: Forward mids compared to the CK10. Slight emphasis in lower mids. Lovely!
I’ll say it again: Lovely!
6)Utada Hikaru – Flavor of Life (Ballad Version)
Can’t leave out Japan’s biggest pop star. Utada Hikaru has one of best vocals I have ever heard.
CK10 and CK100: Perfection…
Bass
Anyone who is looking for bass like the TF10, Sennheisers, Denons, Monster or something similar to those will be disappointed. The CK10 and CK100 are not bass monsters. They have the perfect amount of bass to me. Neither light nor overpowering – just the right amount.
To my ears, the CK10 has better bass extension than the CK100. The CK10 seems to extend lower than the CK100.
The CK100 starts to roll-off earlier than the CK10 to my ears. Nothing too serious in my opinion. The CK100 have slightly more quantity overall, noticeably more mid-bass. Like the CK10, it doesn’t get in the way of other frequencies. Both are still very, very close in terms of impact. More fuller sounding bottom end than the CK10. Both are very tight, punchy, and fast.
Mids
The CK10 has very neutral and flat mids. Very balanced.
The CK100: Forward. The mids defines the CK100. The entire midrange is forward with an absolute peak right around 2kHZ., but it is still fairly flat – like a plateau. Very dependent on recording, genre, and/or source whether or not the mids are noticeably more forward.
My only reference for forwardness of the CK100’s mids is with fuller sized headphones since I have not heard any other mid-oriented phones. The forwardness is slightly more than the ATH-AD2000 and less than the Grado 225i. Much closer to the AD2000 to my ears.
Overall, both are silky smooth.
Upper Midrange (2-6kHz)
The CK10 has some emphasis on the upper mids. There is a slight bump at 6 kHz. Smooth and never harsh to my ears.
The CK10 is brighter in comparison to the CK100. Overall, the CK100 is very refined and smooth.
Treble
The CK10 has very crisp highs. The CK10 is slightly more pronounced than the CK100. A peak is present right around 10 kHz.
Both are great with extension of the highs, but the CK10 is slightly more extended.
The CK100 is not as crisp as the CK10, but it has very refined highs compared to the CK10. There is a relative peak at around 10 kHz. Very smooth. Those who find the CK100’s treble to be “hot” will find the CK10 to be “hotter” without EQ’ing.
The CK10 has more treble energy than the CK100. Both are very airy, clean and articulate.
Sound Summary
Both are great for low listening volumes. Both have effortless clarity and detail while being very musical at the same time. Both have impressive transparency, instrument separation, and speed. Neither sibilant nor harsh. Extremely smooth. Bass impact is nearly identical.
The CK10 is upper mids/treble focused. The CK10 is slightly more effortless with clarity and detail retrieval due to a more neutral and analytical yet musical sound. The CK10 is also bright depending on the source, genre, and/or recording. Neutral mids and sweeter sounding with higher pitched vocals in comparison. Very crisp highs. Better positioning. Great sense of space. Better extension on both ends. More articulate.
The CK100 is mid-oriented. Love it/hate it forward mids depending on personal preferences. All the subtleties can still be heard but not quite as effortless overall as the CK10. The CK100 has slightly more bass quantity overall than the CK10, mainly in the mid-bass region; bass impact is almost identical to my ears. Slight bass roll-off compared to the CK10. The CK100 has a fuller sounding bottom end in comparison. Slightly thicker, warmer, and livelier sounding vocals in comparison. Crisp highs. Bigger soundstage than the CK10 with great atmosphere and sense of space.
Conclusion
The CK10 is very versatile with multiple setups and genres. Great for those that like to travel light. Best of all, it is cheaper than the CK100 for those on a budget. Very tip and fit dependent.
The CK100 is a hidden gem that can be great or horrible depending on the setup, genre, and/or personal preferences. Very dependent on source. Very high risk with potentially an even higher reward. Time and patience is required with them.
Is the CK100 price worth it? If you can find them close to the Japanese street price, then it might be well worth it. The reason I say might is because it will come down to personal preferences and/or setup whether you will like it or not. Is the CK100 an upgrade or a side grade from the CK10? Two different flavors. Again, personal preferences will come into play. I hate choosing sides, but if I had to choose one, it would be the CK10 due to the reasons posted above. The most important factor is that both are very fun and engaging in my book. I love both!
All CK10 owners out there can be at ease if you really enjoy the CK10’s sound. In my opinion, you have one of the best.
You can read all you want, but the only way to know if you will like either IEM or not is to actually listen to them.
The truth is: I have been chasing after something that doesn’t exist. Sometimes the closest thing to the truth is in your ears, another purchase away, or even both, but you just don’t realize it. With that said, it looks like Christmas came early this year for me as I will end up keeping both forever.
I can honestly say that I am done. For now at least.
Dear Santa,
All I want for Christmas is to leave Head-Fi for good! Is that too much (money) to ask for?
must have searched quite a bit for impressions on the both of them.
)
