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Audio Technica ATH-CK9
Specs.
Single balanced armature
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 15 KHz
Impedance: 30 Ohm
Sensitivity: 104dB/mW
RRP: £159
Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is absolute top class. The housing is made of plastic and the cable is 120cm/47in, with a straight jack. The cable is the best I have seen in a IEM, soft and flexible, not too thick nor too thin and very light, excellent work Audio Technica!
The included accessories are, three pairs of different sized silicone sleeves (S, M and L) and a semi-hard zippered case. Not too generous, but still everything needed for normal use.
Comfort and fit.
The CK9’s are quite large, but due to their design they do fit comfortably. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is good and the excellent cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.
Sound quality.
As a single balanced armature IEM the CK9’s could sound a little thin and flat, but they don’t. In fact they produce an impressive full bodied sound, and as an added bonus they respond very well to the use of EQ and DSP. The bass is tight and fast, very high in quality but quantity may not be enough for all tastes. The mids and highs are detailed and smooth at all times, and will please even the most demanding listeners. They have a very good level of detail and an airy soundstage that separates the instruments nicely. They never missed a beat during the different music styles I tried them with, but they do really shine with vocal and acoustic music.
To sum up.
The good: detailed and overall good sound quality, excellent build quality.
The bad: quite expensive, few accessories.
Verdict: they are pricey and they come with few accessories, but they do offer sound and build quality that few can match.
Audio Technica ATH-CK10
Specs.
Dual balanced armature, one for low and one for mid/high frequencies
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 15 KHz
Impedance: 55 Ohm
Sensitivity: 107dB/mW
RRP: £279
Build quality and accessories.
Simply put, build quality and detailing is stunning. (The housing itself is made of plastic, a very high quality plastic I may add, and has a metal back plate) The housing is infact made of stainless steel, with a rubber cover, which is even better than I wrongly assumed. The cable is the same excellent one as the CK9’s, i.e. 120cm/47in, with a straight jack and the best quality I have seen in a IEM.
The included accessories are, just like with the CK9’s, three pairs of different sized silicone sleeves (S, M and L) and a semi-hard zippered case. Again, not that many accessories, but everything needed.
Comfort and fit.
The CK10’s are very small, light and comfortable. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is good and the excellent cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.
Sound quality.
The dual armatures produce a beefy and incredibly detailed sound, from the highly textured low end with its good depth and attack via the natural and buttery mids all the way up to the really sparkling and expansive high end. Natural, detailed and expansive, in the true meaning of the words, that is the best and most honest way of describing the CK10’s.
It’s like I am listening to, or rather, hearing my favourite music for the first time, they present me with so much detail that I have never noticed before. Hotel California and Comfortably Numb sound excellent, stunning and brilliant all at once, if I close my eyes I can almost imagine myself in the studio alongside the guys. The CK10’s make any music, I tried them with everything from classical to rap, sound extraordinary. The accurate and detailed sound make them well suited for critical monitoring and their relatively high impedance and low sensitivity means they do not suffer from any background hiss. They respond well to the use of EQ and DSP, if anyone would deem that necessary. Now if you’ll excuse me I will continue to explore my music library and enjoy the fantastic sound of the CK10’s.
To sum up.
The good: they have a fantastic sound quality and a build quality that trounces any IEM I have seen before, they are light, very small and comfortable, did I mention the stunningly detailed sound already?
The bad: main drawback is of course the price, and being picky, the bass may not be enough for bassheads, they don’t have many accessories included.
What can I say? The CK10’s are pricey and they come with few accessories, but they sound stunning and they define the meaning of build quality. These are a serious contender for the best universal IEM for sound quality, build quality and comfort. Is that recommendation enough?
CK9 on the left and CK10 on the right.
Specs.
Single balanced armature
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 15 KHz
Impedance: 30 Ohm
Sensitivity: 104dB/mW
RRP: £159
Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is absolute top class. The housing is made of plastic and the cable is 120cm/47in, with a straight jack. The cable is the best I have seen in a IEM, soft and flexible, not too thick nor too thin and very light, excellent work Audio Technica!
The included accessories are, three pairs of different sized silicone sleeves (S, M and L) and a semi-hard zippered case. Not too generous, but still everything needed for normal use.
Comfort and fit.
The CK9’s are quite large, but due to their design they do fit comfortably. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is good and the excellent cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.
Sound quality.
As a single balanced armature IEM the CK9’s could sound a little thin and flat, but they don’t. In fact they produce an impressive full bodied sound, and as an added bonus they respond very well to the use of EQ and DSP. The bass is tight and fast, very high in quality but quantity may not be enough for all tastes. The mids and highs are detailed and smooth at all times, and will please even the most demanding listeners. They have a very good level of detail and an airy soundstage that separates the instruments nicely. They never missed a beat during the different music styles I tried them with, but they do really shine with vocal and acoustic music.
To sum up.
The good: detailed and overall good sound quality, excellent build quality.
The bad: quite expensive, few accessories.
Verdict: they are pricey and they come with few accessories, but they do offer sound and build quality that few can match.
Audio Technica ATH-CK10
Specs.
Dual balanced armature, one for low and one for mid/high frequencies
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 15 KHz
Impedance: 55 Ohm
Sensitivity: 107dB/mW
RRP: £279
Build quality and accessories.
Simply put, build quality and detailing is stunning. (The housing itself is made of plastic, a very high quality plastic I may add, and has a metal back plate) The housing is infact made of stainless steel, with a rubber cover, which is even better than I wrongly assumed. The cable is the same excellent one as the CK9’s, i.e. 120cm/47in, with a straight jack and the best quality I have seen in a IEM.
The included accessories are, just like with the CK9’s, three pairs of different sized silicone sleeves (S, M and L) and a semi-hard zippered case. Again, not that many accessories, but everything needed.
Comfort and fit.
The CK10’s are very small, light and comfortable. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is good and the excellent cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.
Sound quality.
The dual armatures produce a beefy and incredibly detailed sound, from the highly textured low end with its good depth and attack via the natural and buttery mids all the way up to the really sparkling and expansive high end. Natural, detailed and expansive, in the true meaning of the words, that is the best and most honest way of describing the CK10’s.
It’s like I am listening to, or rather, hearing my favourite music for the first time, they present me with so much detail that I have never noticed before. Hotel California and Comfortably Numb sound excellent, stunning and brilliant all at once, if I close my eyes I can almost imagine myself in the studio alongside the guys. The CK10’s make any music, I tried them with everything from classical to rap, sound extraordinary. The accurate and detailed sound make them well suited for critical monitoring and their relatively high impedance and low sensitivity means they do not suffer from any background hiss. They respond well to the use of EQ and DSP, if anyone would deem that necessary. Now if you’ll excuse me I will continue to explore my music library and enjoy the fantastic sound of the CK10’s.
To sum up.
The good: they have a fantastic sound quality and a build quality that trounces any IEM I have seen before, they are light, very small and comfortable, did I mention the stunningly detailed sound already?
The bad: main drawback is of course the price, and being picky, the bass may not be enough for bassheads, they don’t have many accessories included.
What can I say? The CK10’s are pricey and they come with few accessories, but they sound stunning and they define the meaning of build quality. These are a serious contender for the best universal IEM for sound quality, build quality and comfort. Is that recommendation enough?
CK9 on the left and CK10 on the right.