[koop]

Both these headphones are on sale and im just debating on which would be the best for these genres of music. Ive read that the c551 has good base, which is fun sometimes but i don't want it to drown out details, however ive been told the CK7 sounds similar to the e2c, which is what i currently have and i would like to try something new.

Thanks!

 

[koop]

im tempted to just get the both and just take one back heh

 

[RoadHazard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by koop /img/forum/go_quote.gif im tempted to just get the both and just take one back heh

If you can do that, you definitely should. Nothing beats listening for yourself and comparing. However, I own the C551s, and I like them extremely much. Like you say they have great bass response (I use flat EQ on my Sony NWZ-A818 DAP and it sounds awesome, no need to add any Clear Bass except maybe on some songs with particularly weak bass). That doesn't mean they have no detail though. To me they are very clear and enjoyable to listen to, the great bass doesn't drown out the higher frequencies. It's definitely no muddy, overpowering bass, it's just really punchy and powerful. If you want even better highs though, there's also the C700/C751 (same phone, different accessories). It's more expensive, but has better highs (at the expense of bass response, which is a bit weaker). That said, I think the C551s sound excellent in every way, and rock music really sounds powerful and engaging in them. I listen mostly to prog rock and metal, but I think the same would apply for indie.

Can't say much about the ATH-CK7.

 

[koop]

thanks for the response, the c700 seem amazing however are more than im willing to spend

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

If you want even better highs though, there's also the C700/C751 (same phone, different accessories). It's more expensive, but has better highs (at the expense of bass response, which is a bit weaker).

You haven't heard the C700s, so I guess you're repeating what I said about them earlier?
The bass is not lacking in any department. Check the Denon thread to see what people say about it. It may be weaker than the C551s (which I know, having used both of them) - but it doesn't detract at all. It's still very powerful.

If Koop wants a more balanced sound, then the C551 won't cut it, since the bass is louder than everything else, and does overpower the high end, which is not very detailed in the first place (in stark comparison with the C700).
It depends if his priority is extra bass impact or extra treble detail/quality. I just wanted to clarify the C700s are not short on bass, not by a long shot.

Koop, the C551s won't disappoint you as an upgrade to the e2c. They're excellent for the price and nicely made with aluminium housing. My b/f listens to rock almost exclusively and is very happy with them. And he's a basshead through and through

 

[RoadHazard]

soozieq >> No, I didn't mean that the C700s are lacking in the bass department. Sorry if it came out that way. I guess I really meant it more like what you said; the C551s may be the better choice if bass response is a top priority, while the C700s of course (being more expensive) have a more balanced sound with better highs.
But still, I don't agree with you about the bass in the C551s being overpowering. To me it's just about right with flat EQ on my A818. The highs could be clearer of course (as they would be with the C700s), but calling the C551s sound "muddy" or anything like that is just not right.
The C700s are the better phones, obviously (in the same way that the C551s are way superior to the C351s), but if you don't want to spend the cash for the C700s (like I said in another thread the C751s - the C700s don't seem to exist here - cost about twice as much as the C551s here in Sweden) the C551s are sure to be a good alternative. I'm sure that if I went back to the store and gave the C751s a good listen I'd be extremely tempted to get them, but for now I'm very satisfied with my C551s.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadHazard /img/forum/go_quote.gif but calling the C551s sound "muddy" or anything like that is just not right.

I have never used the term "muddy" regarding the C551 bass.
I made a point of saying the bass was tight with a lot of bass impact, which doesn't imply "muddy" at all.
When did I call them muddy?

And when one frequency is louder than the others (like the C551 bass), it can be considered overpowering in relation to the rest of the frequencies. My b/f feels the bass is more present than any other frequency, but he likes it like that. Whatever, they're a decent set of earphones which sound pretty amazing compared with anything else in the same price range.

In actual fact, they're pretty perfect for anyone who felt the C700/C751 treble was too 'much'. My b/f bleated that the treble 'hurt' his ears, so he's more than happy with the C551s!

 

[DKaz]

Koop defintiely listen to RoadHazard and SoozieQ. The Denon's are a great canalphone. They are some of the best in their price range. Now that the price has dropped, they are. Pick them up at Amazon for $65.80 shipped:

Denon AH-C551

 

[RoadHazard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have never used the term "muddy" regarding the C551 bass. I made a point of saying the bass was tight with a lot of bass impact, which doesn't imply "muddy" at all. When did I call them muddy?

Sorry about my bad wording, didn't mean to imply that you've said they are muddy. It's just that your talk of the bass being overpowering may have led koop to think something like that (though I'm sure it didn't), and I just wanted to make clear that's not the case.

And yes, you're right about the bass being really strong and probably more present than the mids and especially the highs in many cases. I think that depends on the music, though. Music that's inherently bassy will make the phones behave like that, but music that's more laid back in the bass sounds more balanced over the frequency specrum.

 

[bostitch]

Don't forget to go to the big Denon C700 thread. In the first page I think there is a link to the comparison between CK7 and C700. Then you can extrapolate to 'compare' between CK7 and C500.

If I remember correctly from that comparison, the highs are very detailed on the CK7 and is comparable to C700. The bass on that comparison says that there is a cut-off on very low frequency compared to the C700. But others said that CK7 have pretty good bass when you have good isolation.

My take on this based on my experience with C700 and what I read on C551 and CK7 is the C511 like others said are nice sounding phones with more emphasize on the bass while the CK7 is put more emphasize on the high. They are comparable sound quality with different sound signature. The choice is yours to made depending on what you like to hear.

If you are thinking of getting them both (C551 and CK7), by all mean get them and decide for yourself. I don't think you can go wrong with either. Btw sound quality aside, both are made of metal housing so they are very durable.

 

[K3cT]

The CK-7 is not for everyone though. It has a clinical and flat sound that will reproduce the music in an "as-is" condition with almost no coloration whatsoever.

 

[koop]

you guys are awsome, and i love these forums. thanks so much for the advice. i think ima go ahead and go for the c551 since im very sensitive to too much treble. Listening to feist on my hd595's makes me want to squint my eyes when she hits higher notes.

I think the c551 sounds like a fun phone that will provide a different listening experience to what im used to. Just hope the bass isn't TOO overpowering... but there are a lot of mixed views on that so i guess im just gonna have to see for myself.

 

[RoadHazard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by koop /img/forum/go_quote.gif you guys are awsome, and i love these forums. thanks so much for the advice. i think ima go ahead and go for the c551 since im very sensitive to too much treble. Listening to feist on my hd595's makes me want to squint my eyes when she hits higher notes. I think the c551 sounds like a fun phone that will provide a different listening experience to what im used to. Just hope the bass isn't TOO overpowering... but there are a lot of mixed views on that so i guess im just gonna have to see for myself.

It's definitely a fun phone. And yes, if you're sensitive to strong treble the C551 should suit you perfectly. The highs are there, but they're not super pronounced. As has been discussed in the thread, the C700 should be a better choice if you want clearer and more present highs.
And I don't think you'll find the bass to be too strong. It's powerful and punchy, but with the music I listen to (like I said, prog rock an metal), I never find that it drowns anything else out. It may do that if I was to add too much bass in the EQ, but I always keep the EQ flat.
But as you said, there are different views on this (which I suspect depends to a certain degree on what kind of music one listens to), so you'll have to see for yourself!

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadHazard /img/forum/go_quote.gif But still, I don't agree with you about the bass in the C551s being overpowering. To me it's just about right with flat EQ on my A818.

An mp3 player with a very weak output like an A818 would do best with a bass-heavy IEM: the canalphone's signature adjusts for where the mp3 player's amp is weakest. Add an amp, and the bass might well drive you nuts on them. But if you don't want to carry an amp (and a technically flat response is not a high priority), on this principle at least the C551 should pull ahead of the CK7.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadHazard /img/forum/go_quote.gif And yes, if you're sensitive to strong treble the C551 should suit you perfectly. The highs are there, but they're not super pronounced. As has been discussed in the thread, the C700 should be a better choice if you want clearer and more present highs.

Looks like Koop IS sensitive to treble so the C700s might be too much. And, for what it's worth, I don't think the C700 is worth twice as much as the C551. There's maybe an increase of 20% in quality, which really doesn't justify buying them if treble detail isn't a priority. The biggest jump in sq is from the C351 to the C551, it's not nearly as big a deal between the C551 and C700. And my other half prefers his C551s to the C700s because he likes the extra bass and doesn't care so much about treble.