Anyone tried Jbuds J4 or Audio-Technica ATH-CKM50ABK?

I got my wife a set of ATH-CKM55s that she's enjoying quite a bit.  While they're not quite as clean sounding as my Sony MDR-EX90s, I have to admit they sound pretty good -actually really good considering their low price.  The mids were forward in standard Audio Technica fashion and vocals are emphasized a bit.  Haven't heard the Jbuds so can't be of any help there.

From my previous experience with jbuds (j3, haven't tried the j4)
They sounded pretty decent, ok in all catergories, pretty good durability in my
opinion and I'm pretty sure they have improved the j4's in numerous categories. Also,
Jlab, the company that makes the jbuds,
has excellent customer service in my personal opinion, It's fast and easy, and I'm pretty sure there is a warranty with the j4's (j3's had a one year).

Hope that helps you.
Edited by kaymay - 12/28/10 at 8:20am

I'd say CKM50 (don't know what difference there is between it and CKM50ABK though) is somewhat warm, with a bright detailed treble ( sibilant at times ). Bass is abundant, but not enough for a basshead I guess. Soundstage is not that great. They're quite easy to drive, and are very confortable. There is microphonics, but that can be removed if you wear them over-the-ear. Build quality is good, though I'd complain about the lack of stress relief around the plug and the y-splitter. The right side of mine does not work anymore because the cable broke around the splitter ( my fault, I admit it...but still...). It's a good earphone, just probably not the best on that price range.

 

Can't give you any info on the J4 though.

I haven't listened to the CKM50, but I've listened to the CKM55 quite a bit, as well as the J3. The CKM55 and the J3 have very different sound signatures; the Audio-Technica is as expected more forward with the vocals and overall clarity isn't too bad. I quite liked the CKM55 and found it quite balanced for a budget IEM if not for their lack of fine resolution. The JBuds J3 are a much more bass-oriented phone, although they're not quite out of control. They will, however, have a very apparent mid-bass hump and recessed mids and highs. The entire spectrum will sound veiled compared to the CKM55.

 

I also find the CKM55 more comfortable. The J3 sports more metal, but it doesn't necessarily translate to better build quality. The J3s I tried tended to give me electric shocks through its exposed metal parts against my ear, and although I'm normally a shock-prone person, the finish of the metal didn't seem to be all that great. The J4 might be better, but I wouldn't know.

 

IMO, the CKM55 seemed to me a good budget choice and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to people. The only caveat is that it tends to be offered in very bling-y colors (gold, silver, etc.) and that may be too showy for some people.

I'm also strongly considering the J4's, along with the UE 500's. For $40 and free shipping, I suppose it isn't too big of a risk. If I do get them, I'll post my impressions, though I am by no means an expert.

After trying the J2 a while ago, I would say stay away from jlab products if possible.

If you're that concerned with cable, perhaps you could try a Altec Lansing UHP336...40 at amazon US, though I could not find it at amazon de or jp, or whatever you looked first...Cables are replaceable, however they're a little stiff and fit is somewhat awkward until you get used to it ( if you ever do ) . Very clear sound, with a forward mid, but bass is lacking...should be good for j(k)pop, but not as much for rock...it is the same as Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 3, only rebranded. Only mentioned it because I believe it should be the cheapest model with replaceable cables, but I have yet to find someplace where you can buy them standalone.

 

For sound quality you'd be better with something else, like a brainwavz perhaps...unless you'd be willing to raise the price range

I'm still waiting for the J4's to ship, they should arrive sometime next week.

Ok, so I just got them a few minutes ago (nearly a week early), and I'm in the middle of listening to my second song with them. Again, I'm not as experienced with reviewing as most people here (this is my first review here), but here goes.

 

I'm going to give them a few days to burn in, but right out of the box the bass is decent, but it's certainly muddy. Mids and highs are mostly clear, but can be overpowered at times by the muddiness of the bass. I'm listening to a few hip hop tracks right now, and so far it's not that big of a deal, but I hope this will clear up over time. The bass gets a little clearer when worn over the ear, but this also makes the mids sound a bit hollow.

 

Overall, these headphones seem very durable, which was the main draw for me, but the flat cables aren't quite as thick as I expected them to be. The cable is reinforced with thick plastic where they connect to the earpieces, the  y-intersection, and the jack. The jack is gold plated and straight-angled, but there is plenty of reinforcement there, so I don't think that I am too worried about problems there. They come with seven pairs of tips, double flanged extra large, medium, and small, and single flanged large, medium, small, and extra small. When I say small, I mean seriously tiny. The smallest size are so tiny that I can't imagine anyone who could fit them in their ears without them falling out, and the extra larges are enormous. They also come with a shirt clip, but so far I haven't experienced any microphonics, so I don't think that I will be using it. The case is made of plastic and is just small enough to fit in the pocket of a pair of cargo pants, or maybe loose fitting jeans, and has a little pocket to carry the extra tips on the inside. I've also noticed that the earpieces are a little warm after a few minutes of use, but only when I touch them with my fingers. I can't feel it with my ears, so durability issues aside, this isn't a problem.

 

I'm hoping that the bass problems will get resolved over time, but so far these headphones are definitely worth the $40 I paid for them, since they should only improve from here on out. I'll try to edit this post sometime with pictures, but feel free to ask questions about them.

I don't know the exact size of the iPhone port, but the reinforcement around the jack is pretty thick, so I doubt it would fit well with anything recessed.