The ATH-CKM500..The best CKM earphone yet.
Mar 12, 2013 at 2:23 PM Post #1,771 of 1,921
Wow, these are some of the best value earbuds that I heard.... build quality is ways better than the cheap she3590, only downside that i found was it's kind of hard to find to buy within the US, but if you look on amazon there are some good used deals that IEM addicts like us are selling from time to time..
 
Mar 12, 2013 at 5:34 PM Post #1,772 of 1,921
Quote:
Wow, these are some of the best value earbuds that I heard.... build quality is ways better than the cheap she3590, only downside that i found was it's kind of hard to find to buy within the US, but if you look on amazon there are some good used deals that IEM addicts like us are selling from time to time..

Yeah, these don't get much love anymore but I agree they are quite a value. I have managed to accumulate quite an arsenal of cans over the years and these continue to be my go-to set. They seem to get better with age.  I have the i model which doesn't have the split cable. For me, they combine comfort, convenience, durability and of course punchy sound straight out of my touch or clip all wrapped up in one efficient, affordable package. 
 
Mar 12, 2013 at 5:54 PM Post #1,773 of 1,921
^+1

They're fantastic IEMs that still impress me today. I highly recommend them to anyone with a low budget.
 
Mar 13, 2013 at 12:56 AM Post #1,775 of 1,921
I forget who said, but the CKM500 will appear in one of the two review threads soon. I think a problem with AT is that you might have two generations of headphones in one year (correct me if I'm wrong). Sort of like JVC - although the FXT90 was liked around here, the FXD80 came out soon after
 
Mar 21, 2013 at 7:18 PM Post #1,776 of 1,921
Hi DSNUTS!
 
It's been about a year since I bought my CKM50 and they're still going strong. Best IEM I've ever owned!
 
What is current best AT IEM for $100 or less these days? How does the CKM500 stack up against the current best sub-$100 AT IEM?
 
Mar 21, 2013 at 7:55 PM Post #1,777 of 1,921
CKM500 still holds thier own but the new Micro HD Carbon Nantube CKN70 is superior.  Check out the discovery thread for some impressions on them.. Very nice earphones for around $80 or so.
 
Now I hope AT finally brings out their CKM700 and CKM900.
 
Mar 21, 2013 at 9:23 PM Post #1,778 of 1,921
Thanks.
 
I see these all on Amazon...
 
CMK500
CKS77
CKM55
CKS55
 
Where can one find the CKN50/70?
 
Mar 21, 2013 at 9:50 PM Post #1,779 of 1,921
Both are japanese only items. You can get them from ebay or try out Tenso forwarding service. The price from ordering through Tenso.com and then through Amazin Japan ends up being only $10 cheaper so I have been telling guys to just get it on ebay. 
 
Mar 22, 2013 at 6:32 AM Post #1,780 of 1,921
Having owned CKM-50 , CKM -55 and the latest CKM 500 . I would say they are ALL FANTASTIC but by far the CKM500 is the best in terms of sound quality yet to be proven on the build quality tough. I have the CKM-50 for almost 6 years now, still working perfectly everyday at work .
smily_headphones1.gif

 
Apr 22, 2013 at 6:50 AM Post #1,781 of 1,921
Hi guys!
 
I've had these for a while, and they are now fully burned in and I like them a lot. 
 
One problem I have though is that their isolation is mediocre which results in loss of bass when there's a lot of stuff going on in the background (which it often does when I use my earphones...)
 
So now I am looking for a new pair of tips that provide better isolation! I have medium-sized ears, the default ones that came with them suited well for me. The larger ones I couldn't get into my ears. What would be the best model for me then? I am a total newbie, so I don't know anything about different materials etc.
 
May 1, 2013 at 1:56 PM Post #1,782 of 1,921
[size=medium]The CKM500 have been in my possession for almost two weeks now.  Being my first quality IEM, I am impressed with these little things.  I had to wince at the piercing highs at first.  But leaving them overnight helped out, and they sound much more pleasing now. [/size]
 
[size=medium]They are very well built as well, with a thought out design.  The part that attaches to the cable is made completely out of a rubbery material.  And their shape, is very much like the Skullcandy Fix, in that they hang on the ear, despite being on the larger side.  [/size]
 
[size=medium]Overall, I am very happy with these, and would like to thank dsnuts for his recommendation.  [/size]
 
[size=medium]The only thing that didn't quite work out for me, luckily might be fixable.  They are the tips.  I use the smallest tips and they still cause more fatigue than my current Klipsch IEM.  I also think that I feel the manufacturing ridge from the molding, like many other tips have.  Maybe I'll try a very sharp razor at it.  [/size]
 
[size=medium]The best tips I've ever used are on Klipsch s4a.  They are more angular in their point, more of an oval shape, and a little smaller.  They also can afford to be, as they fit over a much smaller hole.  [/size]
 
[size=medium]Can someone recommend tips that will work better for me?  I'm hoping a better fit will make a better seal too.  I also want to try foam, but only for flights.[/size]
 
May 2, 2013 at 11:33 PM Post #1,784 of 1,921
Been reading over this thread for days and have already ordered the ckm500, in blue. :wink:
Wondering if anyone could give some direct comparisons to the UE tf10 (of whose sound sig i am very familiar)?
I also have the ckm50 and love the bass but think the mids are lacking, treble a bit unsmooth, BUT that particular iem is the most comfortable (best fit for my ears) i have ever used, unlike the tf10.
Can someone compare the size, shape, fit of the ckm50 to 500-- is the form factor similar? If so, think i may be very happy indeed!
Thanks Dsnuts and all for all the great insights, these ATs lately are truly amazing for price/performance!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top