[doctorjazz]

Quick rave-went to see After Midnight on Broadway tonight, really had a blast. I understand the Broadway version is closing, but the road version is to go on tour. Definitely great to see...yeah, there is no plot, some of it is cheesy, but, man, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra nails the big band music of the 20's-30's, Ellington particularly, pop standards, Cab Calloway, the bland blows the roof of the house!. They have a number of fine singers, the dancers are great (won an emmy for dance, I understand), and Patty LaBelle is absolutely great (don't know if she'll be part of the road vesion, I'd guess not, which is a pity, because this 70 year performer brought the house down! She can still belt, hit notes you didn't think existed, growl and ooze soul. Man, that was fun.


(As an aside, my family loved the dancers and singes as well as the LCJO. I did too, but to get what (to me) was the best part, see LCJO if you have any interest in jazz. Man, hearing these guys blow the roof off on early Ellington and other 20's/30's jazz standards was amazing. Even if you know this music from CD's/LP's copied from old 78's, you don't know the music until you've heard a great band rip through them!!!!

 

[7S Cameron]

So Ds, what do you consider the best iem's to get at this time in these two categories: (a) "less expensive but still sound great and are amazing bang for buck" and (b) "they are amazingly good no matter how much they cost".


No pressure, but the world may depend on your answers

I thought about this last night and to me the best sound for the money right now probably goes to the CKR9 but the best refined SQ goes to the IM03..If you can squeeze an extra $100 for the IM03 without the upgraded cable it is about on par with the CKR9 in sound but with the upgraded cable it is on equal footing to the primo 8, some might actually prefer the IM03 more.

The only real negative on the CKR9 is that they have their standard microphonic cable but not a big deal.. The CKR9 for the price is the best value out of the recent AT offerings. I still prefer the CKR10, FX850, IM03 more over the CKR9 but the CKR9 does not loose out on SQ to these.. Some might even like the CKR9 over these. They are an excellent earphone and probably the best sounding for the $220 or so payed for a pair.

Though last night my Doppios was telling me otherwise..I still can't get over how unbelievable they sounded first time I threw them on my ICAN. I couldn't stop listening to them.

Does this mean I should consider purchasing the IM03 over the FX850?

 

[Dsnuts]

I think out of those two if you see one for sale that is cheaper than the other I would snap it up. I think both of them are worth owning. The IM03 has more neutral tendencies while the FX850 will be a new experience all together for you. Either way you will be getting your monies worth..
 
You have enough ATs go for the JVC for something new entirely.. I think you'll dig em. Large and in charge sound..

 

[waynes world]

I think out of those two if you see one for sale that is cheaper than the other I would snap it up. I think both of them are worth owning. The IM03 has more neutral tendencies while the FX850 will be a new experience all together for you. Either way you will be getting your monies worth..

You have enough ATs go for the JVC for something new entirely.. I think you'll dig em. Large and in charge sound..

Damn - apparently I need both!

 

[Dsnuts]

Oh yea everyone needs a Woodie! 
 
@Cameron guys might not agree with me on this the you know what the CKR9 kinda reminds me of? A bit of the CKN70 with a much more refined treble, more stage and a similar type of bass presentation. More spacious..Both phones exhibit some sweetness to the treble region, both having aluminum housings.. The CKR9 would be a good 2 tiers above the CKN70s however.
 
In fact I was just going by memory I am gonna whip out the CKN70 to confirm my thoughts on these two. Will be back
 
Ok so I pulled out the old CKN70. And I was right. The CKR9 does sound like a much more refined CKN70.. They both exhibit that treble sweetness I was talking about. The CKR9 has a much better sense of space and has the larger grander sound over the CKN70 but otherwise sound balancing and that treble sweetness minus the peakiness of the upper mids on the CKN70 and we are talking CKR9..

 

[7S Cameron]

Oh yea everyone needs a Woodie! 

@Cameron guys might not agree with me on this the you know what the CKR9 kinda reminds me of? A bit of the CKN70 with a much more refined treble, more stage and a similar type of bass presentation. More spacious..Both phones exhibit some sweetness to the treble region, both having aluminum housings.. The CKR9 would be a good 2 tiers above the CKN70s however.

In fact I was just going by memory I am gonna whip out the CKN70 to confirm my thoughts on these two. Will be back

I do love my CKN70! Something is telling me to get the FX850. I think it's that wood timbre that is pulling me in! I'm still curious about your comparison between the two though so let me know how it goes.

The S500 is still one of my favorite headphones of all time.

 

[Dsnuts]

Dr Blue be PMing me and I quote.
 
 
"Paul Simon, SO BEAUTIFUL OR WHAT sounds the Paul Simon i heard
live at the inaugural DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES concert
in san francisco not a digital zerox, DX90 in flac nails it through the JVC 850s!
WOW" 
 
In the mans own words.  

 

[7S Cameron]

Dr Blue be PMing me and I quote.


"Paul Simon, SO BEAUTIFUL OR WHAT sounds the Paul Simon i heard
live at the inaugural DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES concert
in san francisco not a digital zerox, DX90 in flac nails it through the JVC 850s!
WOW" 

In the mans own words.  

I just got a job leasing apartments so I will be making WAY more money! After a couple paychecks I will definitely pick these up! I can't ******* wait...

 

[drbluenewmexico]

  Dr Blue be PMing me and I quote.
 
 
"Paul Simon, SO BEAUTIFUL OR WHAT sounds the Paul Simon i heard
live at the inaugural DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES concert
in san francisco not a digital zerox, DX90 in flac nails it through the JVC 850s!
WOW" 
 
In the mans own words.  

Thanks for citing me DS. and really, i had been really disappointed in the way Paul Simons voice sounded on
his new albums, very digital, zeroxed and grating, until i heard him through the 850s. i almost cried with relief
to hear his lyricism restored to his music in a digital source. That landmark concert in san fran
had reference level sound that defined Paul Simons vibe for me, and its back now.
the 850s are so good that I'm watching the WORLD CUP
with their music in my ears instead of the soccer soundtrack.  world class indeed!!!

 

[drbluenewmexico]

  Oh yea everyone needs a Woodie! 
 
@Cameron guys might not agree with me on this the you know what the CKR9 kinda reminds me of? A bit of the CKN70 with a much more refined treble, more stage and a similar type of bass presentation. More spacious..Both phones exhibit some sweetness to the treble region, both having aluminum housings.. The CKR9 would be a good 2 tiers above the CKN70s however.
 
In fact I was just going by memory I am gonna whip out the CKN70 to confirm my thoughts on these two. Will be back
 
Ok so I pulled out the old CKN70. And I was right. The CKR9 does sound like a much more refined CKN70.. They both exhibit that treble sweetness I was talking about. The CKR9 has a much better sense of space and has the larger grander sound over the CKN70 but otherwise sound balancing and that treble sweetness minus the peakiness of the upper mids on the CKN70 and we are talking CKR9..

how exciting!  always loved the CKN70s except for their grating digital high abrasiveness.  can't wait to audition the CKR9s now!.
i wonder if the CKR10s sound like the CKN99s??(which have a special place in my treasure chest of sound tools). go ATH!!!

 

[drbluenewmexico]

By the way, those of you who have some Senn650s you haven't listened to in a while:
I connected my old studio 650s through the resurrected David Berning MICROZOTL tube
amp which he is putting back into production for us, and through a state of the art\
MOJOAUDIO direct coupled NOS DAC   Benjamin, head of Mojo Audio came over
and listned to it and his eyes got REAL WIDE OPEN and said:  "I've never hear the 650s sound
this good before, they are really as good as people say they could be."  EXACTLY,
i never liked them before, but with proper tube power and a great dac they SING SING SING.
AMAZING soundstage, instrument separation, body and tone, and basically as good
as I've ever heard a headphone sound. checkout MOJOAUDIO.COM for more info on
NOS dacs and why they sound so good. and thanks to David Berning for putting the
MICROZOTL back into production (available in about six months he says). This is now
my reference headphone listening system. 

 

[doctorjazz]

Definitely agree on 650s needing to be driven well to hear what they can do. Wasn't in love with mine either, until I got, 1at the Ray Samuels HR-2, then the Geek Out 1k, they really do sing when driven well. Blue's raves convinced me to go for a MOJO DA converter, ordered, can't wait to get it (Ben, the head MOJO, is fun to talk to). Got sale AKG A701s, burning in, always been curious about these.

 

[drbluenewmexico]

Definitely agree on 650s needing to be driven well to hear what they can do. Wasn't in love with mine either, until I got, 1at the Ray Samuels HR-2, then the Geek Out 1k, they really do sing when driven well. Blue's raves convinced me to go for a MOJO DA converter, ordered, can't wait to get it (Ben, the head MOJO, is fun to talk to). Got sale AKG A701s, burning in, always been curious about these.

Hey I resemble that remark!  glad doctorjazz rediscovered his 650s!  wait till you MOJOize them!  Ben JAH man, Mr Mojo,  is a true audio maniac,
with great ears, a listening lunatic who sure knows how to make superb dacs.  The next upgrade is to get one of his stripped out reprogrammed mac minis and custom power supplies for truly dedicated digital sound.  the Quest never ends!!! 

 

[MrEleventy]

By the way, those of you who have some Senn650s you haven't listened to in a while:
I connected my old studio 650s through the resurrected David Berning MICROZOTL tube
amp which he is putting back into production for us, and through a state of the art\
MOJOAUDIO direct coupled NOS DAC   Benjamin, head of Mojo Audio came over
and listned to it and his eyes got REAL WIDE OPEN and said:  "I've never hear the 650s sound
this good before, they are really as good as people say they could be."  EXACTLY,
i never liked them before, but with proper tube power and a great dac they SING SING SING.
AMAZING soundstage, instrument separation, body and tone, and basically as good
as I've ever heard a headphone sound. checkout MOJOAUDIO.COM for more info on
NOS dacs and why they sound so good. and thanks to David Berning for putting the
MICROZOTL back into production (available in about six months he says). This is now
my reference headphone listening system. 

The address is www.mojo-audio.com, I went to the one you posted and got a page that belongs in the early 00s.

 

[doctorjazz]

Just tried that link, seems to work fine, mojo-audio.com