Colorfly CK4 first review - Page 13

Originally Posted by Techno Kid 

For around $180 this seems like a nice PMP and with Colorfly's SQ this is something I think I'm going to get in the near future.

Originally Posted by dragonfyra 

Great thread everyone, lots of great info and discussion.

Just picked up a modded ck4, with new battery (double the power capacity), and new caps put in.  Came to a total of approx. $216USD (stock ck4 is approx. $150USD here in Hong Kong).

Some quick impressions, compared with the dx100 (that I just sold) and coming out of my westone es5's, the width of soundstage feels wider (though dx100 has a better height and depth), and mids are more pronounced.  Still burning in and hoping the treble and bass would be a bit more forward.  Sounds clean, spacious with decent power.  Although so far, details, separation, treble and bass are still below dx100's level, for this price, this player is hard to beat. (Not to mention has a battery that will run circles around the dx100).  

Originally Posted by DonAudio 

I own a CK4. Bought about a half year ago. Any OS updates to address the FLAC tag problem?

Originally Posted by H20Fidelity 


Hi, thanks for your impressions.

I am highly interested in the mods done to your CK4, I would buy one in an instant if available. May I ask where you purchased it from? Also, this is going to be a long shot, but do you know if it's possible to purchase the higher capacity battery they used or if they sell them separately? if I could double the power capacity that would be superb.

You got a really good deal for $216 USD.

Originally Posted by H20Fidelity 


Hi, I actually came into this thread to update my current CK4+ experience, I've owned both players for a while now and know them pretty well.

As Berkovajazz said, CK4 is on another level of sound quality but not without a few problems imo, everything I said in that comparison still stands which was taken from the headphone outs. There's not much I would change, I still think C3 has better presentation of the two because it has balance across the entire frequency range. CK4's mid range is very rich sounding player, with superior detailing levels, soundstage, imaging and stereo (very good stereo) however the low end roll off lets it down and the highs are a little relaxed. From the headphone out I find myself hearing a lot of mid range detail. It reminds me of an upside V so.... "/\" I guess you could call it rather mid centric. The C3 is better balanced across the entire chart, but you will sacrifice that awesome detail, rich clarity and soundstage by a margin.

Although CK4 is a step above in in these area's does it really make it the better player? because you're flooded with all this detail and clarity that over powers the low and high end? I tend to say no because everything isn't working together as one, And that's the problem with CK4+'s headphone out, the low /mid / highs don't speak to each other they're just "there" doing their own thing with a mid range that likes to overide it's partners. C3 they work as a team, they work together to form "presentation"

That's the best I can describe it.


You may of noticed I kept mentioning the word headphone out above and that's because you can transform CK4+ into something truly special by using it's line out. By doing so you lose the bass roll off, the signature becomes more balanced and also the problem I mentioned in this thread about the internal / external memory is much less obvious using it's line out feature. If you amp CK4+ with something like the $100 C&C BH it transform into one great sounding player beyond what the headphone out achieves. Honestly, after amping CK4 with this little amp the headphone out sounds very average compared.

So If you were keen on amping CK4 with something like the C&C BH portable amp I would highly recommend it over C3, then you truly are in another league. You'd be looking at around $300 to get the amp and player though. Here's the thread if you're interested.

@~Berkovajazz if you want to take your CK4 to the next level, you really should be checking out this amp, it's one of the cleanest detailed amps I've heard.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/644363/c-c-bh-portable-headphone-amp-80-hours-from-a-single-charge-buyer-review

Originally Posted by cyberalpha11 

In term of sound quality which is more superior, CK4 or C3? Which one has a better sound stage & separation?