Quote:

jasonb said:

Whats weak about the mids?

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I don't think they're weak at all, just not as great as I was expecting.  If I get a chance I'll say more later.

Ive been through quite a few headphones and IEM's. The most expensive being the Sleek Audio SA6, Etymotic HF3, and the HD650. I dont own the HD650's or the HF3's anymore but i did sell the SA6's within a week of getting the CKM500's. People have always said that the SA6's strong point was the mids and i think the mids sound even better on the CKM500's. The mids and highs were nice on the HF3 but they lacked bass and were uncomfortable for me. The mids were nice on the HD650, i thought the bass was nice too, some dont like the bass on the HD650, but almost everybody agrees that they are dark. So i have heard nice mids, and these CKM500's mids arent lacking from what i am hearing and compared to other good headphones with nice mids.

The mids are detailed and and definitely not lacking. I am not hearing a V or U shape in them. Anybody that says the mids are lacking must be used to some colored mids. The only thing i could understand would be people hearing soundstage depth. At first i thought the mids and vocals sounded just a tad distant, but it seems to me now that its just the soundstage depth that these present. They sound nowhere near as lacking or distant as the Klipsch S4's, which were the worst sounding iem in terms of midrange ive ever heard.

My favorite thing about these though would be the top end, specifically the great extension. I was getting bored with all the phones i had heard that had rolled off highs. I had modded a pair of Koss UR-40 to get more treble, and i liked it, so the search was on for an IEM with good top end.

Oh, speaking of past headphones, i also sold a pair of TMA-1's after o got these too. To me these are a great all around IEM that suits all me needs. They have excelled at every genre i have tried so far.

After 30 hrs of burn in treble is so much better. I think I'm gonna start using it regularly. The best way to enjoy this piece is someplace quiet/less backgroud noise due to isolation. I've said I wished bass is a bit more, I take it back. TDK BA100 I wish for a bit more bass, but not CKM500. Found myself not skipping on earlier Casiopea tracks which I found not quite enjoyable with other phones. Yayy!
 
As a noob, I also found that CKM500 is what people called 'airy' ? Correct? BA100, MC5 does not have this property.
 

dtomo said:

After 30 hrs of burn in treble is so much better. I think I'm gonna start using it regularly. The best way to enjoy this piece is someplace quiet/less backgroud noise due to isolation. I've said I wished bass is a bit more, I take it back. TDK BA100 I wish for a bit more bass, but not CKM500. Found myself not skipping on earlier Casiopea tracks which I found not quite enjoyable with other phones. Yayy!
 
As a noob, I also found that CKM500 is what people called 'airy' ? Correct? BA100, MC5 does not have this property.
 

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Yes, they are quite airy. Ambient music is great on them. They really do give a spacious feel.

Hey, I gave up the Aurisonics ASG-1, Westone 4R with custom cable, TF10, TDK-BA200 and quite a few others for the Audio Technica W1000X modded headphones, and I think the CKM500 sound can stand up against all of the above on these ears.  I have spent some hours A/Bing the sound against my 2.1 speaker/amp system and I am hearing the same sub-bass, mids/detail clarity and highs in the CKM500.....I think that is totally fantastic.  Audio Technica has really hit my sound preference, and the A/B against my full speaker/subwoofers/2 channel amplifier proves that to me, they are super over achievers, IMO!  A $90 pair of IEM's w/custom sleeves and $15,000 worth of audio gear!

Cute,
Do you have custom sleeves that will fit the 500's?
 
Wormwood

Good to hear cute. Give us some info on these "custom sleeves" please.

Quote:

lordwormwood said:

Cute,
Do you have custom sleeves that will fit the 500's?
 
Wormwood

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Yes, Aurisonics Custom Silicone sleeves, perfect fit on the CKM500....great sound, everything is accentuated with them, bass, mids, highs, soundstage, separation, clarity, detail, very worth the cost.  I wear the CKM500 over ear, L/R reversed with my RE272 crossover cable!
 
The CKM500 for me sound like a custom universal!

cute said:

Quote: Originally Posted by LordWormwood Cute, Do you have custom sleeves that will fit the 500's? Wormwood Yes, Aurisonics Custom Silicone sleeves, perfect fit on the CKM500....great sound, everything is accentuated with them, bass, mids, highs, soundstage, separation, clarity, detail, very worth the cost. I wear the CKM500 over ear, L/R reversed with my RE272 crossover cable! The CKM500 for me sound like a custom universal!

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Where would i get these custom sleeves? And do they improve the sound if i still want to wear them down instead of over ear?

Is this what you are referring to: http://aurisonics.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21_25_166&products_id=137&zenid=8d95c68ee94c234703c100742e77f1fe

Quote:

jasonb said:

Where would i get these custom sleeves? And do they improve the sound if i still want to wear them down instead of over ear?

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They are spendy, Aurisonics web site.....I have three sets one white on the CKM500, and black on my RE272 and Brainwavz M4.  The white have a different feel than the black, more comfortable and pliable!  Can be worn down, but over ear, no microphonics, and having worn them down for two weeks, I have switched to wearing them over ear and haven't looked back......the RE272 cable may have a slight effect on the sound as well.  You would have to hear them both ways yourself to see what works best.  We all hear differently, just works for me!  I think anyone with custom sleeves will tell you they do make a difference in sound!

Do they sound any different worn down compared to up? I have no interest in wearing them up. I use a shirt clip so i have never noticed any microphonics.

Quote:

jasonb said:

Do they sound any different worn down compared to up? I have no interest in wearing them up. I use a shirt clip so i have never noticed any microphonics.

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You can try it yourself and decide....just reverse L/R, for me it works better and are more comfortable, you may not get the same results!

Quote:

jasonb said:

Yes, they are quite airy. Ambient music is great on them. They really do give a spacious feel.

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Nice to know jason, I have never had iems with airy-ness before, this ckm is really wowed me with all of it's good properties. Also, I agree that mids is not lacking, at all. A case of bad tip isolation/fit maybe Cyan?

Quote:

cute said:

 
You can try it yourself and decide....just reverse L/R, for me it works better and are more comfortable, you may not get the same results!

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Cute what would be the main disadvantage of reversing L/R without the crossover cable? Sometimes I wear BA100 just like that, but do not notice big difference.
Please enlighten a noob here.

what it's in the sound   versus atrio Mg7?
 
mmm??