Audio Technica ATH-CKR10 IN-EAR HEADPHONE TITANIUM SONIC PRO DUAL PUSH PULL DRIVE SYST

I use these with my iBasso DX90 dap and they sound great.
 
The large audio port improves quality and quantity of bass and sound stage width. I also added JVC Spiral Dot tips to further improve them resulting in roomier sound.
 
The amount of detail retrieval is amazing, layer separation and presentation are top notched. I simply get amazed at hearing the sound details that I've never heard of before.
 
After I bought these IEMs I enjoy them so much I wanted to listen to all of my favourite playlists again simply to experience the details that I have never heard of before.
 
The material used on the sleve of the cable is matt rubber so they rub together and add a lot of microphonic noise whenever they are moved or rubbing against each other or your shirt. I attempted to mod them by painting the cables with silky enamel paint but that didn't work very well as the paint peel off Need a spray paint artist for this job.
 
I would be great if Audio Technica can replace the cables with something like Westone's EPIC cables.
 
Apart from this, just kick back on  your recliner, plug these in, lie back close your eyes and enjoy the awesome sound quality these CKR10 deliver.

Overview, design and build:
The CKR10 is currently the flagship dynamic driver earphones from Audio Technica. I bought it used from another Head-Fi user. Packaging and accesories are simple but classy. You get 4 sizes of eartips and a leather carry case. Build quality is excellent (look at those FAT strain reliefs), but cable is a bit springy and non-replaceable. Designed mainly for cable-down wear, they are very comfortable in my ears and I can even sleep on my side with them on.
 
 

 
 
Sound:
The bass is excellent in this set. It has a very good amount of punch and rumble that you can feel. Even so it doesn't obscure the mids, the lower mids in particular are upfront and very clear. Male vocals and guitars shine very well in this aspect. Going further up, the upper mids and treble are amazingly detailed and smooth, for a bass-oriented earphone this is remarkable. You hear many details in the sound even while the bass is ever-present. Detailed as it is however, the treble is a bit laid-back compared to the mids and bass, making this a warm and smooth headphone. This is very good for prolonged listening (less fatigue), but if you're looking for that extra sparkle in the treble this is not it. The notes are full and thick, maintaining detail, so listening to this is a very rich experience indeed.

Soundstage:
The soundstage has average width and depth, but very good height. Layering and separation are done very well in terms of height. Vocals are particularly good and stand out from the rest of the music. The earphones are very good for EDM, rock, pop, hip-hop, vocals, acoustic and jazz, but the bass might be a bit slow for metal because it hits hard and lingers awhile.
 
 

 
 
Comparison to ATH-IM03:
Compared to the Balanced Armature model ATH-IM03 the CKR10 has better treble detail, better dynamics, and more prominent mids. Vocals also sound flat on the IM03 compared to the CKR10, and IM03 costs nearly double as well. I sold the IM03 after getting this.

Conclusion:
This is a very good addition to anyone seeking a warm and smooth sound sig. It lacks a bit of treble and excitement for me, but for what it is, the CKR10 is extremely capable.

The ATH-CKR10’s were purchased by me and I’m not in any way affiliated with Audio-Technica.
 
I recently reviewed the CKR9’s as well and due to the pretty much identical design the first part of this review is very similar to the one I did on the CKR9’s. The two however sound quite different from each other so if you’ve already read my CKR9 review you might want to scroll down straight to the sound part in this one.
 
Built and accessories:
The ATH-CKR10 is a dual dynamic IEM featuring two 13mm drivers. The drivers are mounted to face each other and are wired out of phase, Audio-Technica calls this “dual phase push-pull driver system”.
Housing is made of metal coated titanium and overall build quality feels very good. The design looks as if it was made for detachable cables but unfortunately that’s not the case. The housings are fairly large but the design with a pretty shallow fit still makes them very comfortable to wear. I’ve got small ear canals but these stay well in my ears and I also use them in bed while going to sleep without any problem.
 
The cable doesn’t look or feel like anything special but in use I find it to be excellent with very little tangling, low on microphonics, soft and flexible. The plug is L-shaped and feels very solid.
The accessories are not much to write home about featuring four different silicon tips and a carrying/storage pouch. I’d have liked to see a lot more tip options included at this price point. None of the included tips worked well for me since I prefer this with wide bore tips, more about this in the sound description later.
 
The CKR10’s are very easy to drive and works great out of every source I’ve tried them with. Isolation is average or slightly below with silicon trips but I’ve used them with Comply tips on a couple of flights and that works very well.
 
The specs:
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Sound:
I did use these as my main IEM’s for over two months and they’ve played for well over 200 hours. I’ve used them at home, while travelling and when going to sleep.
I’ve used them with my Sony Xperia Z3 Compact phone, FiiO X3/Bluebird 6.0 combo and the Gekk Out 720/Cayin C5 combo.
 
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Alice in Chains – Them Bones
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Passenger – Let Her Go
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
 
I really like these most wide bore tips and my favorites are some OEM double flange tips I picked up on eBay, the JVC Spiral dot and the red/grey wide bore tips from Lunashop . Using wide bore tips makes soundstage slightly wider, treble more pronounced and mid-bass a tad less impactful to my ears.
 

 
 
The overall sound signature is thick, intimate and well balanced with a hump in the lower mid-range.
 
The lows have great depth and texture. The bass reproduction on the ATH-CKR10’s is very present in the overall sound presentation. The sub-bass is very well controlled with no bleed into the lower midrange. When I first got the CKR10’s I was struck by the layering in the bass. To me this was something I’ve only experienced in this quality through good full sized headphones before.
 
The mid-range is slightly forward with focus on the lower mids. This makes the mid-bass impact just above what I can accept on some tunes that is recorded with a high bass presence (Jack Johnson’s “Better Together” is an example of such a tune) and also with some sources (the X3’s headphone out is one example).  I consider myself very sensitive to mid-bass quantity so this will probably not be a problem for many others and it is really just too much and not a problem with most of my music.. The forward lower mids however also makes the CKR10’s feeling intimate and giving male voices just the right weight for a natural and very seductive presentation.
 
The treble is detailed and has a very good extension without any sibilance. This helps even further in giving a very well balanced sound.
 
Soundstage width is good while soundstage depth and height is excellent. Clarity is extremely good while micro details, positioning and separation are all amazing. The combination of the full, warmish sound and the very good clarity is really fascinating.
 
So all together we’ve got great sub bass impact, a slight forwardness in the lower mids and a very good treble extension without any sibilance. All this combined makes a very entertaining presentation pairing extremely well with bass driven electronic music (Røyksopp’s “Save Me” sounds great) as well as acoustic music, especially with male voices (Mark Knopfler’s “Sailing to Philadelphia” is amazing with these) but they’re certainly not bad with female voices either.
 
Comparison:
 

 
 
CKR10 vs CKR9:
Compared to the CKR10 the CKR9 has a brighter, less warm sound with a more lively presentation. The CKR9's has a lift in the higher midrange (while the CKR10’s has a lift in the lower midrange) that makes mid-bass less prominent. To my ears the CKR9 is better with female voices while the CKR10 sound more natural with male voices. Although these two looks very similar in design and specifications they’re signatures are really not very similar but the do share the non-fatiguing treble and excellent bass layering.
 
As already mentioned the design on the CKR9 and 10’s is identical so I find them equally comfortable. They’re also equally easy to drive.
 
CKR10 vs DUNU Titan 1:
Compared to the CKR10 the Titan 1 has an overall brighter presentation that gives a feeling of more air and better clarity but also makes them a bit more fatiguing in the treble reproduction. Bass impact is very good on both but the CKR10 reach lower and has better layering in the bass while the Titan 1 has a mid –bass more in line with my preference. The Titan 1 also loses out in soundstage depth and micro details.
 
The Titan 1 is one of the most comfortable IEM that I own so I’d rate them slightly above than the CKR10 in ergonomics. The Titan is also a bit harder to drive.
 
CKR10 vs ATH-IM70:
Compared to the CKR10 the IM70 is slightly brighter and more airy sounding while the CKR10 has significant more bass impact (both sub- and mid-bass) and better layering in the bass. If you can live with some more mid-bass and a slightly warmer/fuller sound I’d say that the CKR10 would be the perfect upgrade from the IM70’s since they share a lot of the same qualities such as a slightly forward midrange (even more forward on the CKR10’s) and overall well balanced sound. The CKR10’s just gives more of everything (weight, depth, warmth, clarity etc.).
 
I really struggled with the fit on the IM70’s until I got a replacement cable without memory wires but even with the new cable I find the CKR10’s to be more comfortable. These two are equally easy to drive.
 
Summary:
Even though the CKR10 is not really my preferred sound signature they do what they do so good that I enjoy them a lot anyway. Their intimate presentation and reproduction on male voices have really seduced me. The fact that they also pair up very nicely with my Z3 compact phone makes them get quite a bit of head time. If I should describe the CKR10 in as few words as possible it’d be that they’re intimate and seductive sounding.   
 
If I’d have gotten the CKR9’s before I got the CKR10’s I’d probably never would have gotten the 10’s since the 9’s really is more my preferred sound but I’m really glad that I didn’t because I like both of them very much. Actually the CKR10’s are still growing on me even after several months of use.
 
If there’s something I’d like to change on these it would be ever so slightly less mid-bass impact. The variety of included tips should be much better at this price point and I would really have liked the cable to be detachable.

Intro
Here is a review of the Audio-Technica CKR10 there are a couple reviews of this model already but the more reviews the better. First I would like to say thank you to Audio-Technica for sending me a review sample to review. I am not an employee or am I being compensated for this review. All the pictures were taken by me and this review is based on my honest opinions. Audio-Tehcnica  was established in 1962 and has grown into a worldwide company. They are well known for there microphones and have been used in many venues from the Grammys to the U.S. Senate. Most people know them from there world famous ATH-M50x headphone, one of my most favorite headphones.
 
The CKR10 is a new design using "Dual Phase Push-Pull Drivers" wired out of phase. They also get there Hi-Res certificate, any of Audio-Technica headphones that receive there Hi-Res certificate the headphone must have a frequency performance to at least 40Khz. CKR10 have two 13mm drivers in a metal coated Titanium housing to help reduce vibrations. This is the first in ear that I have ever used from Audio-Technica, I have used there over the ear and used to own a turntable from the 1980's. Makes me sound really old I am 38 years old and have been into audio and music for more then half my life. I don't consider my self an audiophile I guess I am a headphone enthusiast that just wants quality sound. Thanks for reading and I hope this review will help anyone interested in buying these.
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/df517c93c488bb58/index.html
 
Specs
Drivers                           2 x13mm dynamic
Output sound pressure  110 db/mw
Frequency response      5-40,000HZ
Max output power          200mW
Impedance                     12ohms
Weight                            approx. 16g
Cable length                   1.2m
Plug                                3.5mm gold plated plug
 

 
Packaging
 
The ATH-CKR10 comes in a plain black box with a very nicely hi-res printed sleeve. Opening the box everything is packaged very securely in its own spot. The box is nice enough to keep for storing if your not using them.
 

 
Accessories
 
CKR10's come with 4 different size tips xs/s/m/l so fit shouldn't be a problem, they also come with a small black faux leather pouch that has a magnetic flap. The ear tips have there own storage spot inside the box for storage. I would have rather seen a hard case include since I throw mine into a backpack on the way to work. I don't feel secure using soft pouches inside a backpack being thrown around, not a big deal I have tons of pelican cases that they will fit nicely in. The CKR10's come with your basic accessories that are needed, nothing more nothing less.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Build and Comfort
 
From the first time opening the box I was amazed at how beautiful these things were. The Titanium housing shined like glass against the matte black plastic, after taking them out you will notice these things have some weight too them. I was first afraid that they would be uncomfortable due to the weight, but after hours of straight use they are perfectly fine and weight was not an issue at all.  The connector is a 3.5mm 90 angle with a pretty low profile, with above average strain relief. The cable is coated with a soft flexible rubber coating, with 1 wire for each ear piece, the cable is not detachable and goes into a rubber housing to help with strain relief. The Y splitter is just a piece of small plastic witch I like since I run the cable down my shirt and bulky Y splitters can be very uncomfortable after a while. I would have like to seen a MMCX connector with these and how the ear pieces are I think it would have been a perfect match.
 
 

 
There is a slot on each housing for air flow for the drivers, the slot has some kind of metal mesh that matches the finish of the Titanium covers. The isolation on these is above average, I was using them at work and someone was talking to me I didn't even know there was someone there and the volume wasn't cranked up to loud. There is a fabric screen at the end of the nozzle that will stop ear wax from clogging the sound ports.
 
 

 
The overall look of these is stunning and there built to last a long time. These would even look good dressed up in a 3 piece suit or gym clothes, nowadays fashion is a huge part and is the first thing we notice before we buy something and I think Audio-Technica nailed it with this look. When you first hold them in your hand they seem bulky and heavy, they actually don't stick out too far from your ear. You can lay down and watch a movie with these with out any discomfort.
 

 
 
Sound
 
The most important part of the product, I typically don't use in ears with dynamic drivers I have been always biased to balanced armature in ears. I always thought the details and clarity from balanced armatures were more refined. But after listening to these I was blown away and haven't used any of my other headphones and in ears and always go to these. The bass is tight and well extended, listening too Beastie Boys song Brass Monkey the way it reproduces bass is closer to an over the ear headphone that I have ever heard before. You have to hear it to believe how good the low end is on these. Soundstage is above average in width depth and height, especially with live recordings you really get a good sense of the venue that it was performed at. Midrange is very detailed that I have only heard with multi-balanced armature designs. The only thing I had on hand in the same price point was the UE 900S, doing A/B switching it just shows how veiled the 900S really are I am not saying the 900S are bad but the clarity of the CKR10's I find superior. All the tracks I listened too were WAV format, using a variety of sources from Samsung Alpha stacked with Fiio E07K, Lenovo Ultrabook with Audioengine D1 DAC, and Nuforce HAP-100 amp. From cymbals to kick drums the CKR10's can reproduce everything in a natural way with above average instrument separation. What ever they did with there new Push Pull design they did it right and maybe one day we will see this design in over the ear headphone hopefully. Before even listening to these I was afraid of them being to warm with the bass overpowering everything having two big dynamic drivers in them. I was so wrong they are actually on the brighter side but in a good way with bass when the music calls for it. It is so hard to explain how well these reproduce bass, you can feel it threw your body when it hits a low frequency its unreal.  Listening to music from the 70's the splash of cymbals is so clear you just get a picture in your head of the vibrations from it if that makes any sense. You would think how these are wired and how the drivers are facing each other it wouldn't sound as good as they do, but I know very little about the science behind these.
 
Overall
 
I am no longer stuck on multi-balanced armature designs since these. If you want a very detailed sounding in ear I would recommend these. There also built like a tank and look great on top of it, these were ounce only available over seas now they are available in the US from $389.95. in my opinion the price point is low from the quality you get from these. I haven't used another pair since receiving these and couldn't be happier. And you can drive them from anything coming straight out of my phone they sound great. If you ever have the chance to demo these don't hesitate to do so you wont be disappointed at all. Other then no detachable cable I couldn't find anything that I disliked.

Before I start my review, I would like to Thank Audio-Technica US for providing me with review samples in exchange for my honest opinion.  Also, since I preferred CKR10 sound signature, I'm posting it under ATH-CKR10 listing in Head-fi review database, but the actual review below is a full comparative review/analysis of both CKR9 and CKR10 IEMs.
 
This is a Review of Audio-Technica CKR9 and CKR10 premium dual-driver IEMs, http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/1108c4542caf5790/index.html and http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/df517c93c488bb58/index.html
 
From Audio-Technicas SonicPro "a legacy of sound" family, I have a pleasure of introducing to you their ATH-CKR9 and ATH-CKR10 premium in-ear monitors. Though not exactly a brand new release, these are finally available from Audio-Technica US which is a great news since now you can rest assure your purchase will be covered under a local (outside of Japan) warranty. This has been a topic of a number of discussions I've been involved in after my review of ATH-IM02 and ATH-IM03 IEMs. When you invest money in a premium quality headphones, especially something like CKR series with non-removable cables, it's nice to have a piece of mind with a local warranty from an authorized dealer (both available on Amazon from US re-sellers now).
 
So what is so special about these CKR9/CKR10 models? Introduced earlier this year, Audio-Technica presented them as a first IEM with a dual phase push-pull drivers configuration. It's quite an interesting concept where instead of a traditional config with both drivers facing the same direction toward the nozzle of headphones, these 13mm drivers are facing each other while being wired out of phase. There is some science behind this design which in the past was only implemented in full size speakers to reduce harmonic distortion and unwanted vibration. Here, it was scaled down to IEM size with quite an impressive results delivering high resolution sound.
 
Though they both feature a similar design, these IEMs have a different tuning and a different housing material where CKR9 uses aluminum while CKR10 has metal-coated titanium, both inside of a plastic outer shell. Also, with a rated frequency response of 5Hz to 35kHz for CKR9 and 5Hz to 40kHz for CKR10, the later one qualifies for "Hi-Res Audio" certification. I know spec numbers are important for some people, but at the end what counts is the actual sound you hear with your own ears. For this review, I will start with a common section dedicated to unboxing and the design details, and will go into individual sound description followed by comparison with other IEMs. So without a further due, here is what I found.
 
Starting with a packaging, both CKR9 and CKR10 outer sleeve greets your with a high res picture of these little beauties with a distinguished detail of Aluminum silver-color theme of CKR9 and Titanium gold-color theme of CKR10. On the back you have a lot info in both Japanese and English with a list of features, specs, and the close up of the internal drivers config. One thing is to read the description, but it's a whole different experience to see the actual detailed assembly of the drivers. It also shows how much pride AT takes in their product showcasing their design, similar to what I found with their IM0x IEMs. After sliding out the sleeve and removing the top cover, both CKR9 and CRK10 models have the same display presentation and identical accessories with IEMs inside of the foam cutout, a premium leather case in the lower left corner, and a set of eartips in the lower right corner.
 
CKR9 unboxing and accessories:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
CKR10 unboxing and accessories:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Looking closely at the design of CKR9/10 series, you will find them almost identical with an exception of metal part of the housing.
 

 
 
Starting with a plug, you have a very sturdy 90deg hard plastic housing and gold-plated connector with an excellent strain relief and enough extension to fit any audio player or heavy duty phone case. The only difference here is a slim metal ring detail on the plug of CKR10 to distinguish its premium appeal. Moving to the cable you have a soft rubber shielding which is a bit sticky and unfortunately prone to some tangling. The cable design is partitioned in a way where you have a left/right wires from each earpiece with signal/ground going all the way down to 3.5mm connector keeping the ground wires of L/R sides separate. As a result, you have a very basic y-splitter clip separating individual wires from a dual attached one going to the plug. There is no chin slider which is not a show stopper since it's usually helpful for over-ear fitment, although it makes me wonder if chin slider would have been helpful to keep cables from moving to mitigate a considerable amount of microphonics introduced by the cable.
 
Moving up to earpieces, first thing you will notice is a high quality strain relief. Considering CKR9/10 don't have a removable cable, I was very pleased to see a well designed and attached soft rubber tube strain relief that was sturdy enough to be handled even while removing headphones from your ears. I found the shape of the shell to have a perfect size (not too big or too small) and an excellent fitment for my medium size ears, and we are talking about two rather large drivers enclosed in a metal housing surrounded by a plastic shell. To improve ergonomics of fitment, CKR models have a cable attached at the front rather than back allowing a more comfortable inner ear fitment. Together with an angled nozzle I found it to fit my ears like a glove, even before I started tip rolling. I guess there is a way you can try over-ear wiring, but the extension of strain relief will get in the way. Another thing worth mentioning, there is a slim port opening on the back which I assume actually functioning rather than for looks. Furthermore, their isolation was just average.
 
CKR9 design details
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
CKR10 design details
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
This brings me to the most important part of the review - the sound analysis. Unlike other AT headphones I tested in the past where incremental model number meant an additional driver or a more significant design change, I found CRK9/10 numbering to just distinguish two different sound signatures. Before starting my test, I was well aware these dynamic drivers require a burn in, thus I put them through at least 50+ hrs of play in free air for a proper conditioning. A quick note, right out of the box the bass was more exaggerated in both models, but afterwards it settled down nicely along with more refinement in high frequencies.
 
If you look at overall tonality of CKR9/CKR10, they both have a nicely balanced signature with a decent extension at both ends of the spectrum. But individually their sound tuning follows two different directions. Also, due to a brighter nature of CKR9 I was using their stock narrow bore tip to reduce some higher frequency peaks, while for CKR10 I switched to UE900 tips with a medium bore opening for an opposite effect to open up higher frequencies which also widened soundstage perception and made sound more natural.
 
Beginning with CKR9, it has a smooth analytical/neutral (a blend in between) sound which is on a brighter side. Starting with a low end, it has a well controlled tight bass which is definitely north of neutral in quantity. With a rich sub-bass texture and a softer attack of mid-bass, I found it to have a very accurate delivery and natural tonality. There is absolutely no bleed into lower mids, and it has zero bloat. Moving into mids, you have lean lower mids and bright detailed slightly forward upper mids. Upper mids sound a bit thinner which leads to somewhat colder and dry presentation of vocals. It still smooth without any peaks or harshness. The same with treble, having a clear and detailed non-fatigue sound without a hint of sibilance. Treble does extends nicely, and has a perfect balance of clarity and smoothness.
 
Moving to CKR10, it has a smooth balanced warm sound with an enhanced bass, though I wouldn't call it L-shaped. It has a well extended lower end with a deeper sub-bass texture (a bit higher in quantity in comparison to CKR9), and fast punch of mid-bass which has more impact in comparison to CKR9. Still, bass is well controlled and has an excellent balance with the rest of the frequency spectrum without adding too much bloat. Lower mids have a thicker body which adds a nice warmth and smoothness to midrange, while still remaining very clear and detailed. I personally prefer mids of CKR10 because I felt they had a more realistic vocal presentation. This was a first time I experienced such a high level of details with a warm sound signature. Treble was very similar to CKR9 having a nice detailed sound with a perfect balance of clarity and smoothness.
 
Both IEMs had a similar staging with above average depth but only an average width that contributed to a more intimate listening experience while still having plenty of airiness. This "open intimacy" had pretty good layering and separation with a relatively accurate positioning of instruments and vocals in space. I have to add that most of my testing was done with X5, but once I paired it up with either E12A or C5 headphone amps, the soundstage improved with a new dimension of more 3D spacing and better width. You really don't need an external amp to appreciate the quality of these IEMs and can easily drive it even from a smartphone, but it does helps if you want to breath in more refinement into their sound.
 
Next, I put CKR9/CKR10 against my other IEMs, and here is how they stack up in a quick overall comparison.
 
vs DITA Answer:
9 - more mid-forward and thinner in sound, similar bass but a little less in quantity, brighter thinner mids, less treble extension, and narrower in staging
10 - more mid-forward sound, deeper sub-bass with a faster mid-bass, brighter upper mids, smoother treble with less extension, staging is narrower
 
vs IM50:
9 - thinner sound, overall better retrieval of details, scaled down bass with less sub-bass, brighter, thinner, and more detailed upper mids, crispier treble and similar staging
10 - overall better retrieval of details, better controlled bass with a bit scaled down mid-bass, brighter upper mids, and crispier treble
 
vs VSD3:
9 - better retrieval of details, less sub-bass, more detailed and thinner upper mids, more treble extension, similar staging
10 - better retrieval of details, less sub-bass, more detailed and accurate upper mids, greater treble extension, similar staging
 
vs IM03:
9 - more mid forward, less sub-bass, thinner brighter mids, more detailed, similar treble, and a bit narrower staging
10 - more mid forward, cleaner and more detailed bass, brighter and more detailed mids, similar treble, a bit narrower staging
 
vs B3P1:
9 - brighter and better retrieval of details, crispier bass, brighter mids, a bit crispier treble, narrower staging
10 - better retrieval of details, more articulate bass, cleaner mids, a bit crispier treble, narrower staging
 
vs A83:
9 - similar retrieval of details, a bit less sub-bass and a bit more mid-bass punch, a bit thinner upper-mids, less treble extension and a bit narrower staging
10 - similar retrieval of details, more sub-bass and faster mid-bass punch, smoother upper mids with more body, less treble extension and a bit narrower staging
　
Conclusion
 
Overall, I think I found my new favorite pair of IEMs, and if you haven't guessed it already from my review - it's CKR10! Both CKR9 and CKR10 are fantastic in-ear headphones with a ground breaking design and performance. With its retrieval of details and smooth analytical/neutral sound, you will be scratching your head how CKR9 can deliver such a high quality performance with only two dynamic drivers! With CKR10 - I honestly never experienced such a smooth warm natural sound with an enhanced and very articulate bass and amazing retrieval of details! Typically warm/smooth and detailed doesn't go in the same sentence, but here I'm sitting with a huge smile on my face enjoying a full body rich balanced sound with a natural timbre like I never heard before. I started my review by mentioning about dual phase push-pull technology AT implemented in this design. As a result of this "science experiment", Audio Technica came up with a product that delivers a very impressive rounded characteristics for a dual dynamic IEM. Of course, this is a matter of personal opinion based on my taste and the type of music I'm listening to, so YMMV. But take my word for it - CKR10 sets a bar very high for the particular sound sig I have been after for a very long time!!!