[vlenbo]

you've been satisfied with the stock CKR9 tips?

Yes.

You make it sound like a crime, lol. Every IEM in my collection are stock tipped. The reason is because I lost my ue900 tips..

I also love being fair to all manufacturers. If the earphones have tips, I leave them unless the fit is terrible.

nothing wrong really, the treble crispness smoothened a bit, and details feel slightly pushed behind bass, im guessing its just the biflange tips im using.... i need to invest in some Spiral dots

It could be the bi-flanges. I will test it out for you.

Bass does not overwhelm anything except the microdetailing for me. Except, the microdetailing can still be articulately heard.


Eric says that the jvc fxd tips bring out the details.

Edit: looks like my comment about the ckr9s microdetailing deprecation wwas wrong. The recording did have a barely audible clap. Seems the tips must be the culprit.

 

[kameenadesi]

actually.. you might have been right about the degradation of microdetail.

I've been using the biflange tips since opening the brand new CKR9 box, and i noticed the decrease in upfront details and treble sharpness.

Maybe the FXD tips or Spiral Dots will fix it, gonna try and find out.

 

[vlenbo]

actually.. you might have been right about the degradation of microdetail.

I've been using the biflange tips since opening the brand new CKR9 box, and i noticed the decrease in upfront details and treble sharpness.

Maybe the FXD tips or Spiral Dots will fix it, gonna try and find out.

Possibly.

The ckr9s,match the sony xba-h3s in terms of microdetailing, thats how. Iverified that the microdetailing does not degrade.

 

[drbluenewmexico]

  EXCELLENT JOB vlenbo! Great review!  

I totally agree, very great review vienbo. thanks for your excellent research and good writing!
i am curious that ATH has no hybrids out yet? is that a fact?? didn't realize that. curious...
and its odd that cheaper models have detachable cables and these don't.....but sound still
like a good investment under 200$ for the kind of sound you are describing.  interested in main
differences between the 9s and 10s still.....anyone have both?

 

[kameenadesi]

ok i just bought some wide-bore tips which came from a pair of cheapo headphones from the dollar store. They're actually really similar to the JVC Spiral Dot tips, just without the spirals

Just confirming that the microdetails are still all present in the CKR9!! Back to party mode!

 

[cylpol1]

Btw, I was curious why you said it was fatiguing

 

[kameenadesi]

the treble has an aggressive nature to it...quite a bit of energy in my opinion. At high volumes and longer listening sessions, this causes ear fatigue for me. Just like the CK10 and CK100Pro treble had. But for that good hour of listening, its a joyride.

 

[Fernando Ibarra]

Hello Vienbo. Please, what are basses like compare to the ATH Im70? Thanks

 

[Bansaku]

Great review. Been eyeing the CKR-9 for a while. Kinda makes me wish a little bit that the Momentum In-ears weren't on the top of my to-buy list.
 
Question though. What do you mean by "...cymbals never sound metallic..."? Cymbals are made of metal are they not, so shouldn't they sound metallic?
 

 

 

[vlenbo]

  Hello Vienbo. Please, what are basses like compare to the ATH Im70? Thanks

Bass comparisons based on my observations at the ath-im70 is simple.
 
Bass is bolder, thicker, and bigger in the im70, while the ckr9s are powerful, somewhat thinner, and pretty bold for their differences in housing and drivers. However, quality as stated by headfiers such as Eric, Syed, and Earfonia, the bass quality is a step above in the ckr9s. Tightest bass you'll ever hear with the most accurate delineation of the bass' reverberation, attack, and decay. 
 
I do not think you'll go wrong with either in-ear, but the im70s are also a bit bulkier than the ckr9s. One will fit better than the other for you, so please audition them first whenever possible.

  Great review. Been eyeing the CKR-9 for a while. Kinda makes me wish a little bit that the Momentum In-ears weren't on the top of my to-buy list.
 
Question though. What do you mean by "...cymbals never sound metallic..."? Cymbals are made of metal are they not, so shouldn't they sound metallic?
 

 

Metallic sounding would be what I describe as becoming a bit too tinny, and overly emphasized treble sharpness.
 
Imagine a halo effect that you see in images posted online. Those are terrible to look at as the sharpening has been increased beyond what the average viewer would require to see in a photo.
 
The same applies to the treble of say the im-02s in certain sources.

 

[vlenbo]

the treble has an aggressive nature to it...quite a bit of energy in my opinion. At high volumes and longer listening sessions, this causes ear fatigue for me. Just like the CK10 and CK100Pro treble had. But for that good hour of listening, its a joyride.

I never found it aggressive, and never heard it in such detail like you unfortunately.
 
I was pretty annoyed that the ckr9s were lacking treble detail and emphasis in its frequency response. After burn-in, I finally heard the treble aligning itself with the mids and bass. It's YMMV unfortunately.
 
I also tried the double flange tips. I used the Melecc M9 version. I HATE IT.
 

 
 
The entire frequency improves in detail, but at the cost of it sounding dryer than I wanted it. The stock ath-tips actually keep the balance of the warm and dry tones, so this can be a good or a bad thing for people. It's not excessively dry, but it loses its magic, which has me reconsider using the double flange. I will use a different sized flange to see if it will retain the clarity of the flange tips, but the warmness of the stock tips.

  I totally agree, very great review vienbo. thanks for your excellent research and good writing!
i am curious that ATH has no hybrids out yet? is that a fact?? didn't realize that. curious...
and its odd that cheaper models have detachable cables and these don't.....but sound still
like a good investment under 200$ for the kind of sound you are describing.  interested in main
differences between the 9s and 10s still.....anyone have both?

Thank you drblue. It brings tears to my ayes...
 
Nope, not at the moment. I searched for ATH hybrids and there is still a lack of information in this regard. The IM-XX series have the capabilities of detachable cables indeed, and it frustrates me that the CKR series impeded the market for a new type of connector for AT's latest earphones. It is still a good investment however, as the cable quality and the strain relief is pretty top notch. Almost to the ck10 quality, except no rubber body that surrounds the housing and the cable near the 3.5mm connector is cheap plastic.
 
Eric10p has them together, unfortunately I do not remember if he compared the ckr9s and 10s. I hope he can chime in.

  Btw, I was curious why you said it was fatiguing

If it was for me, it is because the mids can actually tire people's ears for their forward nature.
 
It does not bother me as much as other headfiers, but I will not romanticize the in-ear because I seldom hear it quite fatiguing sometime.

 

[pearljam50000]

The non removable cable is a deal breaker for me.

 

[Whaleshark12]

Great review @vlenbo ! Wish you could get the CKR10 to compare with this. XD Anyway, I like the picture where the garden was use as the background. 

  Which was something out of the norm.

 

[ZapX629]

Man, I'm really getting tempted by these as an upgrade form the GR07, but I'm also holding out for the VSD7 which is around the same price. WHAT DO. 

 

[warrior1975]

I love these, the mids are so damn sweet... I own several nice pairs of phones and these sound truly incredible, especially for the price. That being said, waiting can't hurt as Vsonic is an awesome company