Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors › Earsonics SM2 vs Audio Technica CK10... How do they compare?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Earsonics SM2 vs Audio Technica CK10... How do they compare?

post #1 of 21
7/19/10 at 11:20am
Thread Starter 

Well, it turns out I will have to buy CK10 for about 250 $... Now that I have elevated to that price range, I may as well consider SM2. How do they compare? 

 

Two things that worry me about CK10 are: the treble might be disturbingly bright and some people complained about the hardness of getting a true fit.

 

SM2 has better bass, from what I understand. But does it make the sound bassy? I want a neutral sound, neither bassy, nor thin; and in means of treble, neither detailless, nor spikey.

 

I listen to progressive rock mainly. I will use the IEM I get with Zune 120. I don't want to buy an amp.

 

I am battered down by reading so many reviews. I'm all confused. This comparison will be the last... And then, I'm definitely ordering one of these...

 

Thanks in advance.


Edited by meurglys0 - 7/19/10 at 11:35am
Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #2 of 21
7/19/10 at 7:50pm
Thread Starter 

Nobody to comment on this?

Reply
post #3 of 21
7/19/10 at 8:17pm

Have you thought about the DBA-02s? 

Reply
post #4 of 21
7/19/10 at 8:17pm

There's only a handful of CK10 owners on the forum and even fewer SM2 owners. Off the top of my head shigzeo is the only one who has heard both, though he hasn't been in possession of the CK10 in quite some time. 

Reply
post #5 of 21
7/19/10 at 8:26pm
I am supposed to be on my first (and two year late) honeymoon, but I will try my best: both are excellent, but both have some faults. The sm2 falls into the category of brute force instruments. It has a powerful baseline with good instrument separation, but no matter how well you treat it, it is a bit dark. The ck10, on the other hand, isn't dark, but it strays from being overly bright. I also have the er4s, so my outlook on bright is tempered by the most squirley of earphones.

The problem with the sm2 is that it is harder to drive: without a really low outputting device, you may experience some treble suckout, or loss of bass. On the other hand, you are really only sacrificing a few decibels of brightness. The ck10 has no lack of bright but it is considered by some people to be tweaky. If you are particularly sensitive to the sound of balanced armatures you may find them metallic sounding. I do not, but then again i hear metallic stuff jn certain dynamic phones that makes the ck10 pale in comparison.

The audio technica is built much better and is more exciting for trance and classical, but the sm2 has a more natural baseline. I will not be able to give the nod to either one for treble. One is bright and energetic, the other is dark but mature.

I can't say which you'll like better. If you like brig and easy to control, go for the audio technica. If you like darker and smoother, but harder to control (a machine that needs some love), go for the Earsonics. Both are excellent earphones.
Reply
post #6 of 21
7/19/10 at 9:08pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo View Post

I am supposed to be on my first (and two year late) honeymoon, but I will try my best: both are excellent, but both have some faults. The sm2 falls into the category of


I just read Joseph Conrad's Nostromo.

 

You should read it, shigzeo. One of the characters is you and one is your wife.

 

Reply
post #7 of 21
7/20/10 at 2:42am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shigzeo View Post

I am supposed to be on my first (and two year late) honeymoon, but I will try my best: both are excellent, but both have some faults. The sm2 falls into the category of brute force instruments. It has a powerful baseline with good instrument separation, but no matter how well you treat it, it is a bit dark. The ck10, on the other hand, isn't dark, but it strays from being overly bright. I also have the er4s, so my outlook on bright is tempered by the most squirley of earphones.

The problem with the sm2 is that it is harder to drive: without a really low outputting device, you may experience some treble suckout, or loss of bass. On the other hand, you are really only sacrificing a few decibels of brightness. The ck10 has no lack of bright but it is considered by some people to be tweaky. If you are particularly sensitive to the sound of balanced armatures you may find them metallic sounding. I do not, but then again i hear metallic stuff jn certain dynamic phones that makes the ck10 pale in comparison.

The audio technica is built much better and is more exciting for trance and classical, but the sm2 has a more natural baseline. I will not be able to give the nod to either one for treble. One is bright and energetic, the other is dark but mature.

I can't say which you'll like better. If you like brig and easy to control, go for the audio technica. If you like darker and smoother, but harder to control (a machine that needs some love), go for the Earsonics. Both are excellent earphones.


Also... Instead of paying 250+ for CK10 or SM2 both of which have flaws, one better go for the 350 $ worth of SM3 that is prasied by all and is said to be flawless, right?
 

Reply
post #8 of 21
7/20/10 at 3:07am
Ck10 is not suitable for Rock. I maybe a bit harsh here,but IMO ck10 is only suitable for trance and house.
Reply
post #9 of 21
7/20/10 at 3:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by meurglys0 View Post

Also... Instead of paying 250+ for CK10 or SM2 both of which have flaws, one better go for the 350 $ worth of SM3 that is prasied by all and is said to be flawless, right?
 


I haven't seen one post that said the SM3 was flawless.

Reply
post #10 of 21
7/20/10 at 3:15pm


.


Edited by ethan961 - 8/18/10 at 8:19pm
Reply
post #11 of 21
7/20/10 at 9:53pm
^^Dont make assumptions and speculations if you haven't heard it.
Edited by midoo1990 - 7/20/10 at 9:57pm
Reply
post #12 of 21
7/20/10 at 9:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ethan961 View Post


It's all in your preference. YMMV.

 

I agree about this. I enjoyed the CK10 for all genres that I listed to including rock and I know current CK10 owners who feel the same. If a phone matches your signature genre doesn't matter much imo.

Reply
post #13 of 21
7/20/10 at 10:02pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by midoo1990 View Post

^^Dont make assumptions and speculations if you haven't heard it.

 

Same goes for generalizations.

 

I find the CK10 perfectly suitable for rock and I'm with ethan on this - DBA-02 and CK10 are quite close in signature. 
 

Reply
post #14 of 21
7/20/10 at 10:16pm
It's not a generalization,it's my opinion and honestly electronica was the only genre I enjoyed on ck10,and many people will prefer different iem for electronica because ck10 has anemic bass to begin with.

And I am not the only one that thinks they are not good for Rock,look for the ck10 comparisons thread that I think was made by James and read the different opinions.
Edited by midoo1990 - 7/20/10 at 10:18pm
Reply
post #15 of 21
7/20/10 at 10:23pm

Just because one hasn't heard something, doesn't mean that one can't have a general idea of how it does compare to what they do have, especially if they've read comparisons. I've read opinions and comparisons from |joker|, rawrster, and others, who I classify as reputable sources, and that's where I get my information.

 

I know that some people are strong supporters of the 'only speak if you've heard it' philosophy, but I think that if you're comfortable with a piece of equipment and you have read how X product compares to it, it's entirely possible to get a fairly accurate image of what X product sounds like. Maybe that doesn't work for absolutely everyone else, but it works plenty well enough for me if I take the time and read the reviews that are there.

 

And like I said before, everything is subjective and your own (or anyone else's) mileage and preferences may very well vary.


Edited by ethan961 - 7/20/10 at 10:25pm
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

Gear mentioned in this thread:

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors › Earsonics SM2 vs Audio Technica CK10... How do they compare?