[spycsalmon]

Hi All,
 
My Introduction and Headphone History
 
I am new to the Head-Fi community so I'll start by saying HELLO! I'm very happy to be in the midst of such headphone aficionados I am not, by any means, an audiophile. But I am a very big "appreciator" of good sound and music in general (and I like to think that I have an acute hearing for fine details)
 
Bose headphones are about as "high-end" as I've ever been thus far (IE, IE2, OE & QC3i)... and after doing some research online, it seems that my beloved Bose headphones are nowhere near as celebrated as I thought they would be. Even so, I wouldn't bash my Bose headphones because I enjoyed how clear and detailed they were in comparison to many other headphone's I've tried (in the same price brackets). The truth is, there are not enough shops in my area which display these really celebrated headphones that audiophiles speak of (Or maybe there is and I didn't look hard enough). 
 
In any case. I Loved my IE headphones (and I went thru maybe 6 of them) but the damned wire always frayed eventually. I decided to upgrade to the OE2s and they were sensational (by my standards). The bass was boomier and the clarity was beautiful (that's as detailed as I can get right now...). I even convinced many of my friends and family to switch to Bose. Recently, my OE2s were ripped out from my phone jack while running on the treadmill and now the right side is dead. It was not worthy of the $80 repair offered to me by Bose due to an expired warranty. They also offered to swap my damaged pair for the new, colourful, bass-enhanced "SoundTrue" OE model for an additional $100. Seeing as they are $149.95 anyway... F-that was my answer.
 
So I thought to myself... If I'm going to spend $100 or more, maybe I should upgrade to the noise-cancelling models. So I found a really good deal on a pair of slightly used but excellent condition Bose QC3 headphones for $98 CAD (on ebay). Considering that a new pair is close to $400, I was very happy with my purchase....Until I actually tried them on. Let's just say for a long time Bose fan, I was very disappointed in the quality of these overpriced headphones. The noise-cancelling aspect wasn't very impressive (like the qc20 model), the sound quality was IMO inferior to my old OE2 (especially the bass) and now that I'm back in the gym, I cannot use these. So I have decided to go back to IEMs and sell these.
 
Narrowing my options...
 
I did some brief research on the Audio Technica ATH-IM50 and the ATH-CKS99 (and CKS77) models and these ones seem to be right up my alley.
 
I listen to all kinds of genres but mainly EDM (Trap/Dubstep/Future Beats), Hip-hop/Rap, and Classical.
 
I don't know if I'm considered a true "Basshead" but I loooooove heavy bass. I've tried a pair of Klipsh (not sure which model) headphones in the shop for less than a minute and I felt a bit of tinnitus afterward (which never happened with my Bose headphones). So even though I love deep, Bass-heavy genres like Hip-hop/Rap, Trap & Drum&Bass, I also need the bass to be controlled enough so that I don't get fatigue or tinnitus.
 
I am looking to keep it in the price range of $100-150 CAD
 
I think I am leaning more toward the Audio Technica ATH-IM50 or the ATH-CKS99. I've heard great things about both but I couldn't find as many reviews on them as I would like...
 
Both fit my budget and both seem to be great choices but I haven't been able to find any comparisons of these two or even other CKS models.
 
Could someone please enlighten me on these models to help me decide the winner? I am very open to suggestions about other models (given my musical tastes). I don't use an amplifier or any other peripherals at this point. Just my Samsung S3 smartphone.

Thank you very much for your assistance!

 

[HotSoup]

Hey, sorry no one replied to you. I just barely ordered the cks99's, so if you are still looking, or are just curious about them, I could report back and let you know how my experience was.
 
                                                                                          

 

 

[spycsalmon]

Hi HotSoup,
 
Thanks for your offer. I took the chance and spent $100 on a pair of CKS99's back in Sept 2014 so I'll do you the favor of providing my experience with them. 
 
These headphones come with three different sized buds and a nice square-shaped, leather carrying case with a magnetic clip. I use the largest buds because I have bigger ears and the seal, bass and isolation is much better for me with those. The carrying case is great because it's small enough to fit in your pockets.
 
I've had them now for over 4 months. I've kept them in my ears for full eight hour shifts at work and have not had sore or discomforted ears or even fatigue. They are VERY comfortable and they fit snugly without falling out, even while running. The design is high-tech and all components are durable! The cable is thick and flexible. The input jack is very stiff and durable. 
 
The sound quality is absolutely fantastic! For IEM's that are advertised as "Super Bass" they are crisp and clear in all ranges. The mids and highs are not drowned out at all by the bass. Speaking of the bass, I'll be honest, when I first used them, I have to say I was not impressed with the bass. I was expecting deep, luxurious, intimidating bass but it was not as bass-y as I'd hoped. Then I realized I should be patient and let them burn in for a while. I kept the headphones playing music over several nights and in about two weeks, I was astounded with how incredible the bass sounded. The burn in period is definitely necessary IMO, so be patient and you will see a difference after some time.
 
For a pair of IEM's, the bass is RICH! Very impressively rich, deep and luxurious but the mids and highs are right up front with the lows. The sound isolation is awesome too. 
 
Overall, the Audio Technica CKS99 headphones are fantastic! I am so happy with my decision to go with these, and I would recommend them to anyone. Bass-lovers with a modest budget will be very satisfied. Will definitely buy Audio Technica again the next time I shop for headphones.
 
I hope this experience was useful to you
 
Enjoy them friend, I know you will!

 

[HotSoup]

                 Hey thanks a lot for giving me your thoughts on the earbuds! Reading through this I found almost every question I had being answered; from the comfort, durability, stability, and burn in. I really appreciate you letting me know. I'm even more hyped to get them now! I'm not really a bass head, but I definitely like it there as long as it isn't overpowering, so to hear it doesn't heavily recess the mids and highs is great! I'm also happy to hear that the fatigue is very minimal because I listen to a ton of music almost everyday.
 
I do have one quick question though: How do they sound with different musical genres? Are they noticeably weaker in certain areas? I'm big into rock, acoustic, classical, and hip hop.

 

[spycsalmon]

  I do have one quick question though: How do they sound with different musical genres? Are they noticeably weaker in certain areas? I'm big into rock, acoustic, classical, and hip hop.

 
They sound great across all genres. All instruments and synths are clear and detailed. If you're a seasoned audiophile, you may be able to find certain weaknesses that the untrained ear cannot detect. As for me, I cannot point out those weaknesses. I just appreciate good quality sound, and I know what constitutes good quality sound in the $100 range (I've had many). The sound is impressive, bold and detailed no matter what you're listening to. I just played a few songs from each of the genres listed above and they all sound great!
 
Let me know what you think of them after you've had time to enjoy them
 
Cheers!

 

[HotSoup]

I just received the earbuds a few days ago. I am very happy with the sound, however they don't surpass my Sony MDR-310s model I had before as much as I wanted. The detail is great and I really love the bass! I'm hoping they aren't completely burned in yet because I'd like them to be a bit more crisp, especially with vocals. I have given them more than 60 hours of burn in time. Excited to see if they improve.

 

[spycsalmon]

That's great to hear Glad you're enjoying them. I think they need more burn in time to really show their potential so keep burning and see how they fare after some time.

 

[gtdragon980]

I've had my CKS99's for about 3 months now, they should have at least 50 hours on them now. As of now, they sound great. They sounded great out the box and especially after burn in. The bass isn't overpowering, somewhat punchy but very clear and smooth. Lower mids are a bit hollow, but still present and it doesn't affect the sound quality much. Upper mids are rich and full, not harsh to my ears at full volume. The highs are crisp and bright without any distortion. I would imagine it would be better with an amp, I'm using my computer to play the music. 
 
Overall, they are a very transparent and detailed sounding headphone but they don't produce as good a soundstage you would get from OEMs. 
 
Forgive me if my explanation doesn't make much sense, I tried my best to describe the sound using the correct terms.

 

[AzimAkbar]

I have Audio-Technica IM50 and CKX7 currently.  Also BOSE SIE2i for sport-running and hiking. I have tried CKS55 in stores multiple time but I found that the bass too overpowering over voice and treble.  Surely with the more expensive CKS99 the sound is more balanced. In comparison IM50 is one of the most balanced sound earphone that I ever have. Bass is there but not that tight and impressive.  I still searching for my next Extra Bass or Super Bass kind of earphone. The best that I tried so far is the JBL Synchros reflect (bluetooth version) which has the most impressive and tight kind off bass that I like. Considering to buy the wired version. The most obvious and widely available ExtraBass earphone are surely from Sony with their XB line. So many model to choose unfortunately the cheaper model like XB50 that I tried also has similar overpowering bass characteristic like the CKS55.
 
In your case the more expensive model have more balanced sound. Unfortunately the 3 most expensive earphone that I have (SIE2, CKX7 and IM50) have less bass amount than my new Huawei Honor AM12 which cost 18USD. Fortunately all 3 more expensive earphone generally sound better and has more detail and soundstage than the ultracheap but OK sounding Huawei earphone.

 

[HotSoup]

I believe I have listened to them for over 100 hours, so they should be fully burned in. For hip-hop music and lots of electronic, these earphones sound amazing. I have been listening to twice as much hip hop lately just because of how clear the vocals and bass sound. Rock, however, doesn't sound as great. I've found that they are a bit sharper than I prefer, especially on guitar solos and heavy choruses. Some songs still sound amazing, but a large amount just feel fatiguing to listen to. I haven't had really any trouble with hip-hop so far besides a few songs with emphasized snare drums. I'm overall happy with the sound of it all and satisfied with my purchase, however I do wish it was a bit less sharp.
 
Another thing I noticed was they sound slightly better with Sony Hybrid tips and also have a greater isolation to them. I felt the bass was a bit tighter too so I would recommend switching the buds if you have them. I can now say they are better than my previous pair and are miles clearer. I may be purchasing a new MP3 soon that has a more balanced sound to it, so I am hoping that will rid the extra sharpness that is accompanied with the sound. So these are my current thoughts on the ear buds. Happy with the purchase. Thanks again for telling me your thoughts spycsalmon. Have a good one.

 

[ferryporsche]

I have Audio-Technica IM50 and CKX7 currently.  Also BOSE SIE2i for sport-running and hiking. I have tried CKS55 in stores multiple time but I found that the bass too overpowering over voice and treble.  Surely with the more expensive CKS99 the sound is more balanced. In comparison IM50 is one of the most balanced sound earphone that I ever have. Bass is there but not that tight and impressive.  I still searching for my next Extra Bass or Super Bass kind of earphone. The best that I tried so far is the JBL Synchros reflect (bluetooth version) which has the most impressive and tight kind off bass that I like. Considering to buy the wired version. The most obvious and widely available ExtraBass earphone are surely from Sony with their XB line. So many model to choose unfortunately the cheaper model like XB50 that I tried also has similar overpowering bass characteristic like the CKS55.

In your case the more expensive model have more balanced sound. Unfortunately the 3 most expensive earphone that I have (SIE2, CKX7 and IM50) have less bass amount than my new Huawei Honor AM12 which cost 18USD. Fortunately all 3 more expensive earphone generally sound better and has more detail and soundstage than the ultracheap but OK sounding Huawei earphone.

Can you tell me more about the im50s?

 

[AzimAkbar]

Please read my mini review of IM50 if you are interested. In short it was my best IEM until I bought JVC FXT90. http://www.head-fi.org/products/audio-technica-ath-im50-dual-symphonic-driver-in-ear-monitor-headphones/reviews/13154

 

[Sp12er3]

For me the IM50 is the best in term of Female vocal and string instruments... not the best for movie watching with its intimate mids and have a touch of unnatural feel for piano... but it's the best for the type of music I'm listening to these days (anime songs which is mostly female vocals)