Intro
This is a review for the Audio-Technica CKX7is I would like to say thank you to Audio-Technica for sending me a demo unit to review. Before I get started I would like to point out that I am not an employee or am being compensated for reviewing this product. I have been into audio since I was a teenager I am now 38years old. I am always looking at new portable ear buds at a reasonable price the ATH-CKX7is comes from Audio-Technica's SonicFuel line aimed at portable audio and people on the go and smart phone compatible. These are advertised through there website for $79.00 with a wide variety of colors to choose from. The kind of reviews I do are not in depth but short and to the point I try to do it this way since most people that do a search for reviews are directed to Head-Fi, actually I am just a terrible writer but hopefully over time I will get better. A little about me I can never just listen to the same pair of ear buds or headphones I always need to hear something different. I am not a hardcore audiophile like most people on this site, but I do want the most out of my music and want to hear it as the engineer intended it to be heard. Here is a link to the CKX7is
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/2e0ada249b48fb69/
The main source that I used to do most of my listening was my Samsung Alpha since these were aimed at potable audio. I also used Fiio X1, Lenovo Ultrabook, IPhone 6, and the Sansa Clip. The ATH-CKX7is are very easy to drive no amplifier is needed to drive these, but I did try it with a Fiio EO7K which I have to say gave them a more rounded and fuller sound.
Specifications
Driver 8mm dynamic
Max input power 40mW
Frequency response 10-24,000 Hz
Sensitivity 102dB
Impedance 16ohms
Weight 10g
Connector 3.5 mm gold plated plug
Cable 1.2mm
Packaging
Audio-Technica CKX7is come and your standard packaging with a clear viewing window, they are seated in a premolded blister pack that keeps them safe and secure for shipping. There really isn't anymore to the packaging then that, we don't buy products for the boxing anyway. Audio-Technica didn't waste any money on packaging and put there money were it counts, I have been a machinist for over 20 years and sometimes we do production runs and you wouldn't believe how much money packaging can actually cost and drive up the overall cost.
Accessories
After opening the box I was pleased to see it came with a set of foam tips and 4 sizes of the silicone tips. They also include 3 sizes of a wing shaped piece that they call the C-Tip that sits inside the concha of the ear, kind of like how a custom in ear monitor fills the upper part of the ear. Also included is a nice velvety black drawstring bag.
Build and Fit
Starting from the bottom the 3.5mm plug is housed in a nice durable plastic with really good strain relief. The plug is a 90 degree angle design and it has to be one of the most low profile designs that I have seen. a lot of designs tend to get caught on my jean pockets and just stick up too high, I have not had this problem at all with the CKX7is.
The cable is flat and rubber coated to ensure tangle free management, kind of reminds me CAT5 wire used for telephone lines but thinner. They cable feels pretty sturdy and seems it could take some abuse. Traveling up to the Y splitter that is also were all your controls and mic are for smartphone, there is a single button in the middle for phone calls and music. If your on the phone you can end the call with one push of the button. For music the center button pushed ounce will pause the song, double click the button it will change the track you are listening too. Using the CKX7is for phone calls work well, the other person could hear me clearly and on my end sounded clear. I didn't think the music controls would work for my Fiio X1 but all controls work flawlessly witch work great so I don't have to dig through my pockets at work to change the song.
Unlike most volume controls that have a designated up and down button on the sides of the pause button, the CKX7is uses a volume slide to control the volume. This has to be one of my favorite features of these ear buds, I cant count how many times I have ended a call or changed the song or just paused the song thinking my finger was the volume control. The volume slide is the answer to anyone having fat short fingers like me, I wish all manufactures went with this design.
Now to the body of the ear bud witch I was a little concerned with, these are not small when first looking at them they are pretty light compared to other ear buds though. The body is a durable plastic with a metal faceplate and above average strain relief. CKX7is uses a 360 degree rotating ear tip for maximum comfort, and a C-Tip to ensure a secure fit. The C-tip I have never tried before and I usually just take them off, a lot of other companies have some kind of similar takes on this. Its made of a flexible rubber and 3 different sizes are included for proper fit. All the C-Tips are marked for left and right side, it was a little confusing on how to put them on until I noticed the markings on them. Since I am writing a review on these I felt obligated to give them a chance and to my surprise they actually help to keep the ear pieces stay in place. I used them while working out with free weights and on a treadmill and they stayed put the whole time. Never gave this kind of design a chance because they just look uncomfortable, but they kind of imitate a costume in ear monitor how they sit in the concha of the ear. Finding the proper comply tip is never an issue just about every company includes enough sizes for the proper fit.
For how big these are they are quite comfortable and they don't stick out as far as I expected, the 360 ear tip really helps angle them for comfort. The only thing I would change is the height of the mic and place it higher up near your mouth for phone calls. Although I had no complaints on the other end of phone calls, it just seems a little low. The overall build quality is what you would expect from a well known company like Audio-Technica.
Sound
Starting off right from Samsung Alpha I was surprised how good these sounded the Alpha also has a quality chipset for audio installed in it. Changing to the IPhone 6 there really wasn't a change in sound, going to the Fiio X1 there was a noticeable overall fuller sound and bass extension stacking it with the Fiio E07K really gave these some great depth and clarity. Remember these are $79.00 ear buds I am not expecting the same quality as there CKR10's. I wouldn't call these bass heavy but they hit hard compared to the Sure 215's the CKX7is extends better and seems tighter and punchier. I was very surprised I am a big fan of the 215's. From here on out I will compare them to the SE215's since it's the only thing I have on hand closest to this price point. The CKX7is are more mid forward then the 215's and are overall brighter sounding. Female voices really stand out with these hitting high notes giving them great clarity, upper frequencies extend better then the 215's on the 215's they seem to sound crackly and it kind of breaks up. The soundstage is what you would expect at this price point I guess you could say its more intimate then a big soundstage with a lower depth, you get pretty good instrument separation as well. In my opinion the best music genres for these would be Hip Hop and Pop music. Turning the CKX7is to high volumes they stay distortion free, witch I did not expect from these you can really crank these up and they keep there composure. Comparing these to my daughters Beats ear buds I wouldn't even say its fair, and I am not just saying that Beats are known for there bass but kind of muddy. With the right tips the CKX7is bass punchier and a hell of a lot cleaner were the Beats sound like a cheap sub woofer a teenager threw in there trunk of there car. I am not a Beats hater I actually like the Solo 2's.
Conclusion
If your looking for a cheap Smartphone compatible in ear these are for you, I would recommend these to anyone. You get a lot for how much these cost and there are number of colors to choose from. The build quality will ensure you of many months too years of use, I don't recommend this but I wouldn't be afraid to just toss these in my pocket. Audio-Technica has produced a cheap solution for quality listing for people that use there cell phones for music and for hands free phone calls. The perfect user for these would your average teenager since they beat there ear buds up. My daughter is your typical 14 year old girl, and just like all the other teens she likes Beats that I have had to replace 3 times in a year and a half. She actually did a review of her own on these making a short Vine video, the first thing she said to me when she listened to them was "There So Clear" I have been exposing her little by little to better options and she's finally coming around. I was really shocked on how well these sounded considering how cheap they are, it amazes me the quality of new products that come out everyday at the price point. Thanks for reading I hope I helped anyone looking at purchasing these.
This is a review for the Audio-Technica CKX7is I would like to say thank you to Audio-Technica for sending me a demo unit to review. Before I get started I would like to point out that I am not an employee or am being compensated for reviewing this product. I have been into audio since I was a teenager I am now 38years old. I am always looking at new portable ear buds at a reasonable price the ATH-CKX7is comes from Audio-Technica's SonicFuel line aimed at portable audio and people on the go and smart phone compatible. These are advertised through there website for $79.00 with a wide variety of colors to choose from. The kind of reviews I do are not in depth but short and to the point I try to do it this way since most people that do a search for reviews are directed to Head-Fi, actually I am just a terrible writer but hopefully over time I will get better. A little about me I can never just listen to the same pair of ear buds or headphones I always need to hear something different. I am not a hardcore audiophile like most people on this site, but I do want the most out of my music and want to hear it as the engineer intended it to be heard. Here is a link to the CKX7is
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/2e0ada249b48fb69/
The main source that I used to do most of my listening was my Samsung Alpha since these were aimed at potable audio. I also used Fiio X1, Lenovo Ultrabook, IPhone 6, and the Sansa Clip. The ATH-CKX7is are very easy to drive no amplifier is needed to drive these, but I did try it with a Fiio EO7K which I have to say gave them a more rounded and fuller sound.
Specifications
Driver 8mm dynamic
Max input power 40mW
Frequency response 10-24,000 Hz
Sensitivity 102dB
Impedance 16ohms
Weight 10g
Connector 3.5 mm gold plated plug
Cable 1.2mm
Packaging
Audio-Technica CKX7is come and your standard packaging with a clear viewing window, they are seated in a premolded blister pack that keeps them safe and secure for shipping. There really isn't anymore to the packaging then that, we don't buy products for the boxing anyway. Audio-Technica didn't waste any money on packaging and put there money were it counts, I have been a machinist for over 20 years and sometimes we do production runs and you wouldn't believe how much money packaging can actually cost and drive up the overall cost.
Accessories
After opening the box I was pleased to see it came with a set of foam tips and 4 sizes of the silicone tips. They also include 3 sizes of a wing shaped piece that they call the C-Tip that sits inside the concha of the ear, kind of like how a custom in ear monitor fills the upper part of the ear. Also included is a nice velvety black drawstring bag.
Build and Fit
Starting from the bottom the 3.5mm plug is housed in a nice durable plastic with really good strain relief. The plug is a 90 degree angle design and it has to be one of the most low profile designs that I have seen. a lot of designs tend to get caught on my jean pockets and just stick up too high, I have not had this problem at all with the CKX7is.
The cable is flat and rubber coated to ensure tangle free management, kind of reminds me CAT5 wire used for telephone lines but thinner. They cable feels pretty sturdy and seems it could take some abuse. Traveling up to the Y splitter that is also were all your controls and mic are for smartphone, there is a single button in the middle for phone calls and music. If your on the phone you can end the call with one push of the button. For music the center button pushed ounce will pause the song, double click the button it will change the track you are listening too. Using the CKX7is for phone calls work well, the other person could hear me clearly and on my end sounded clear. I didn't think the music controls would work for my Fiio X1 but all controls work flawlessly witch work great so I don't have to dig through my pockets at work to change the song.
Unlike most volume controls that have a designated up and down button on the sides of the pause button, the CKX7is uses a volume slide to control the volume. This has to be one of my favorite features of these ear buds, I cant count how many times I have ended a call or changed the song or just paused the song thinking my finger was the volume control. The volume slide is the answer to anyone having fat short fingers like me, I wish all manufactures went with this design.
Now to the body of the ear bud witch I was a little concerned with, these are not small when first looking at them they are pretty light compared to other ear buds though. The body is a durable plastic with a metal faceplate and above average strain relief. CKX7is uses a 360 degree rotating ear tip for maximum comfort, and a C-Tip to ensure a secure fit. The C-tip I have never tried before and I usually just take them off, a lot of other companies have some kind of similar takes on this. Its made of a flexible rubber and 3 different sizes are included for proper fit. All the C-Tips are marked for left and right side, it was a little confusing on how to put them on until I noticed the markings on them. Since I am writing a review on these I felt obligated to give them a chance and to my surprise they actually help to keep the ear pieces stay in place. I used them while working out with free weights and on a treadmill and they stayed put the whole time. Never gave this kind of design a chance because they just look uncomfortable, but they kind of imitate a costume in ear monitor how they sit in the concha of the ear. Finding the proper comply tip is never an issue just about every company includes enough sizes for the proper fit.
For how big these are they are quite comfortable and they don't stick out as far as I expected, the 360 ear tip really helps angle them for comfort. The only thing I would change is the height of the mic and place it higher up near your mouth for phone calls. Although I had no complaints on the other end of phone calls, it just seems a little low. The overall build quality is what you would expect from a well known company like Audio-Technica.
Sound
Starting off right from Samsung Alpha I was surprised how good these sounded the Alpha also has a quality chipset for audio installed in it. Changing to the IPhone 6 there really wasn't a change in sound, going to the Fiio X1 there was a noticeable overall fuller sound and bass extension stacking it with the Fiio E07K really gave these some great depth and clarity. Remember these are $79.00 ear buds I am not expecting the same quality as there CKR10's. I wouldn't call these bass heavy but they hit hard compared to the Sure 215's the CKX7is extends better and seems tighter and punchier. I was very surprised I am a big fan of the 215's. From here on out I will compare them to the SE215's since it's the only thing I have on hand closest to this price point. The CKX7is are more mid forward then the 215's and are overall brighter sounding. Female voices really stand out with these hitting high notes giving them great clarity, upper frequencies extend better then the 215's on the 215's they seem to sound crackly and it kind of breaks up. The soundstage is what you would expect at this price point I guess you could say its more intimate then a big soundstage with a lower depth, you get pretty good instrument separation as well. In my opinion the best music genres for these would be Hip Hop and Pop music. Turning the CKX7is to high volumes they stay distortion free, witch I did not expect from these you can really crank these up and they keep there composure. Comparing these to my daughters Beats ear buds I wouldn't even say its fair, and I am not just saying that Beats are known for there bass but kind of muddy. With the right tips the CKX7is bass punchier and a hell of a lot cleaner were the Beats sound like a cheap sub woofer a teenager threw in there trunk of there car. I am not a Beats hater I actually like the Solo 2's.
Conclusion
If your looking for a cheap Smartphone compatible in ear these are for you, I would recommend these to anyone. You get a lot for how much these cost and there are number of colors to choose from. The build quality will ensure you of many months too years of use, I don't recommend this but I wouldn't be afraid to just toss these in my pocket. Audio-Technica has produced a cheap solution for quality listing for people that use there cell phones for music and for hands free phone calls. The perfect user for these would your average teenager since they beat there ear buds up. My daughter is your typical 14 year old girl, and just like all the other teens she likes Beats that I have had to replace 3 times in a year and a half. She actually did a review of her own on these making a short Vine video, the first thing she said to me when she listened to them was "There So Clear" I have been exposing her little by little to better options and she's finally coming around. I was really shocked on how well these sounded considering how cheap they are, it amazes me the quality of new products that come out everyday at the price point. Thanks for reading I hope I helped anyone looking at purchasing these.
