Update #2: I listened to the CC51 for about 3 days and then needed to send them back to |joker| so he could check them against a newer set to make sure we were all hearing the correct sound from them, and he will get them back to me in several days.
In the mean time, my impressions of the CC51 are fairly positive. I have only compared them to the Ety HF5, and when they come back to me, I will compare them to the Alessandro MS-1i headphones. My sources are in my Sig line, Fuze V2 with Rockbox into iBasso T4.
I am a music lover that does not mind using EQ modestly to help bring phones to the sound I enjoy. For example, I typically EQ the HF5 like this: (on a 5-band scale of 0-10) +5db @ 70hz, +3db @ 200hz, and flat everywhere else -- so I bump up the low end, as well as turn on the T4 bass boost.
When I first heard the CC51, I realized that I would probably EQ it pretty much the opposite of the HF5, and wound up using this EQ: flat @ 70hz, 200hz and 1Khz, +4 @ 4KHz, +5 @ 12KHz. And I turned off the T4 bass boost.
The CC51 comes with several size eartips, most of which fit all the way onto the silver nozzle right up to the thin cloth grill at the nozzle end. And with the driver sitting right at the end of the nozzle, the sound is going straight into your ear canal. The supplied biflange tips did not compress well in my ears, but I had clear bi-flanges left over from a previous MEElec phone and they work best for me with the CC51.
CC51 Sound Impressions:
- Bass is clear, full, impactful, controlled, not overwhelming the lower mids, with a fair amount of detail. Because it is a dynamic driver, it does not have near the crispness of the HF5 (it has a BA driver) -- instead it has a smoothness that the HF5 does not quite have.
- Mids are also clear, nicely almost up-front, and more perceived detail than the bass. I say "almost up-front" because they are warm enough to be very realistic, but not so in your face that you think you are standing right in front of the singer.
- Trebles are much more subdued than the HF5, and even more than the RE0, SW-Xcape, and some other suprisingly crisp dynamic phones. There is a hint of sparkle, but for me, I have to really boost the trebles to bring them into the balance I like with the bass and mids. With the EQ on the highs up, there is a nice smoothness that is vaguely reminiscent of the RE0 and the SW-Xcape v.1.
- Isolation is decent, but with 2 small ports on the side of each unit, back at the start of the silver nozzle, you won't get the isolation a closed phone like all the Ety line can acheive. I couldn't use them while cutting my yard as too much of the mower came in -- HF5 + Shure Olives = super isolation.
- Overall, the CC51 has a warmer, thicker sound than the HF5, just thick enough to be enjoyable and full, but not bloated or syrupy.
In one sense, the CC51 is a nice all-rounder, or middle-of-the-road'er. It has good quality bass authority, mids presence, and it can be coaxed to bring out sparkling highs, while giving a satisfying amount of details. You won't feel overwhelmed by details, but as you are getting lost in the music, you will realize you are hearing things very clearly. In contrast, the HF5 puts so much detail in your ears that you have to warm it up some and let your brain get used to that before you can really start getting lost in the music.
When they get back to me, I'll post any additional comments about them vs. the MS-1i.
