Introduction

First off, I’d like to thank the folks at Audio-Technica once again for providing a review sample of the CKS77.
 
Having reviewed the Solid Bass line of portable headphones, naturally, my next stop would be the Solid Bass line of earphones. This time, I’m starting with the CKS77 in ears, not the cheapest or lowest end Solid Bass earphones but on the lower end compared to the CKS99 and CKS1000. So, does the CKS77 measure up? Read on to find out.
 
 
Accessories: The CKS77 comes with four pairs of silicone eartips, a set of manuals and a drawstring carrying pouch.
 
Design and Build Quality: The CKS77 is one of the funkiest designs I’ve come across in an IEM. Similar to the Thermaltake Isurus, the housings feature a large driver which sits in the outer ear and a nozzle that extends into the ear. Interestingly enough, the CKS77 includes what Audio-Technica calls a “2 post” system which allows the user to position the eartips in two different places according to preference. Overall, the earphones seem nicely built with sturdy cables and black plastic housings with a soft touch feel to them around the edges where the housings come into contact with your outer ear.
 
Comfort: This could possibly be a point of contention for some but I was very pleased with the fit of the CKS77 and it was very comfortable for me over long periods. The driver sat in my outer ear nicely without exerting any unpleasant pressure.
 
Isolation: These isolate very well for a vented dynamic IEM.
 
Microphonics: A tad unpleasant at times but nothing excessive.
 

Sound Quality

Burn in: The CKS77 was given 50+ hours of burn in prior to evaluation and no significant changes were noticed during that time.
 
The CKS77 is capable of the strongest bass I’ve ever heard with a strong punch and rumble that keeps up with some of the best in my collection. Though the CKS77 is capable of fairly deep bass, most of the emphasis is on the mid bass, with a very, very strong mid bass presence that can occasionally overwhelm when prodded and make its presence and sizeable bloat known. That’s not to say it’s especially unpleasant but it’s impossible to ignore on particularly mid bass heavy songs.
 
The mids are recessed, as is the case for many heavy bass earphones and can sometimes be slightly overwhelmed by the bass but rarely to the point where I’d call it annoying. Instead, the midrange is capable of surprising detail and clarity despite its inherent warmth and sounds a bit dry in the upper regions which can result in some mild sibilance, not unlike the VSD1. The treble is prominent but rarely to the point of excessive harshness and sounds nicely airy.
 
The best way I can think of to describe the type of sound on offer here is to liken their presentation to a dance club. The sound is spacious but strangely enclosed in the sense that you understand that the space is larger than it seems, but you still can’t move far in any direction without bumping into someone.
 
Listening to EDM is especially good and the unique sort of claustrophobic spaciousness (an oxymoron, I know) the CKS77 presents is especially apparent and has a very “live” sort of feel. Listening to Deadmau5’s I Remember with its thumping bass, if I closed my eyes, I could almost trick myself into thinking I was listening to it live in the middle of a crowded dance hall.
 

Conclusion

The Audio-Technica CKS77 is available from various online retailers including Amazon for around $99 or so. That’s a pretty good price but these aren’t the easiest recommendation for everyone as I’d imagine their sound signature can be quite polarizing. But again, these are from the “Solid Bass” line and that’s exactly what you get. So as long as big bass is what you want, these are a pretty good choice, especially if you prefer to listen to Hip-Hop and EDM.
 
This review was re-posted from my site Musical Musings

If you are looking for a bass monster, you should not overlook this earphone. The ''monster bass'' you are going to get from this earphone will not even be delivered by some expensive “headphones’’. I have owned many headphones and earphones over the years, and this is the earphone that comes back to my mind again and again. The bass quantity is just amazing without sacrificing the mids and the highs; a real pleasure to listen to with such a big soundstage and hefty bass. If you are fine with a little bit bloated bass and sibilance at times, then this is a great choice. This earphone has microphonics and I don’t recommend this if you are running around ‘’all the time’’,haha. At home, it is very fun! I didn’t have any fit issues when I first tried it. It is a given that everybody is not going to like the way it fits in his or her ears.
It has its issues, but the” very sound’’ with that kind of thumping bass made me forget everything. It sounds just fine out of the box and I didn’t notice any tremendous change even after burning it for 100 hours. All in all, it feels like you are in a party hall with some very loud enjoyable music. Everything is just going sound very big.It is not just about quantity,it screams quality too. When I switch from this to DUNU Titan 1, Titan 1 sounds like a kid. I highly recommend ATHCKS77. After this, I even bought IM70, but I didn’t like it; I returned it after trying it for a couple of days. There were lots of glowing reviews on IM70, naturally I fell for it. The IM70 was neither fun nor engaging. The IM70 may win in retrieving details, but in the ‘’fun factor’’department,the ATHCKS77 takes the cake. The IM70 sounded flat, dry and boring. Again, this is just my opinion, so take it with a pinch of salt. You are not going to get a world-class sound, but it is worth ever penny. You have to hear it to believe it.
 
Make sure you play around with the tips till you get a nice seal and expected sound quality. If it sounds thin, then something is wrong either with the tips you are using or the seal itself. You may even have to buy a new pair of ear tips.
 
The mid-range is full and doesn’t lack in any area. Female vocals ‘’will’' get sibilant at times.
 
The highs are nicely done and very enjoyable to listen to; I mean for the price you pay, you can’t simply complain here. I can nitpick here too, but I am not going to as I really love this earphone.
 
With just 16 ohms and good sensitivity, you can run this earphone to ear-bleeding levels. I don’t recommend any amp for this. Yeah, it is that good! You can drive it with just about any crappy phone.
This is the only earphone, along with Sony XB90(I like athcks77 a bit more than xb90), that has completely satisfied my basshead zone without sacrificing the mids and the highs. An astonishing earphone for the price you pay! I am going to buy another pair shortly.