Multi- IEM Review - 3. IEMs compared (Pump Audio Earphones added 0. Tier 1. C ($2. 50- 4. C1) Audio- Technica ATH- CK1. Reviewed Jan 2. 01. Details: Audio- Technica’s diminutive Dual- armature earphone may not be its flagship, but it sure competes well with those of other manufacturers. Current Price: N/A (discontinued) (MSRP: $3. Specs: Driver: Dual BA . Lyricsize - All lyrics database Lyricsize is a searchable lyrics database featuring 1,000,000+ song lyrics from 20,000 artists. Use xLyriX to find your favorite song.The build is outstanding – rubber- covered metal housings with titanium faceplates look and feel indestructible. The cabling is soft and thick, terminated with a beefy 3. I- plug. They’re not perfect (I prefer an L- plug and the strain reliefs could be better), but in most ways the build of the CK1. Isolation (4/5) – With the proper tips the tiny CK1. Microphonics (5/5) – Microphonics are nonexistent in the cabling when worn cord- up and unnoticeable when worn cord- down.
Comfort (5/5) – The tiny round housings rest inside the ear when the CK1. CK1. 0 can be worn cord- down as well. Either way they are impossible comfortable and simply disappear when donned, but wearing them cord- up allows for deeper insertion. Sound (9. 2/1. 0) – I’ve always done my reviews on a comparative scale, with the perfect score in each category going to the best performer I’d encountered to date. The CK1. 0 has been and still is my SQ benchmark for IEM reviews. The CK1. 0 is as close to a perfectly balanced earphone as I have heard. The low end is smooth, tight, and extended. From the “fire and ice” department, Craig Kelly writes on Facebook The entire rationale for wind turbines is to stop global warming by reducing the. Due to real life issues and severe lack of free time i'm no longer able and willing to take care of the Duelist/Templar/Marauder build lists. It is detailed and well- textured, conveying plenty of information. Impact- wise the bass is medium- low on the grand scale, not much greater in quantity than an amped Ety ER4. S, but more full- bodied. It is also impossibly quick - I sometimes get the feeling that the armatures on the CK1. Midrange detail and clarity are close to the ER4. S but vocals have better air and a dimensional quality to them that the Etys lack. The treble is best described as being “sweet”, but not excessively so. The CK1. 0s definitely sparkle at the high end and roll off very little - Audio- Technica was quite conservative with the specs on the CK1. Hz” specifications I’ve been seeing get slapped on $2. Treble smoothness is top notch – harshness and sibilance are nearly imperceptible even on flawed recordings. Resolution and imaging are both excellent. Soundstaging is above average - though they don’t quite have the lateral width of the RE2. RE0 and Phonaks beat in both depth and width. Transparency is also impressive - the CK1. They add no color to the sound, allowing the properties of the source to shine through. That said, I find them more forgiving of poor quality source material than most other high- end IEMs. Now for the qualifiers: the CK1. There are still many high- end IEMs I have not heard and the CK1. Shure faithful may be underwhelmed. The quantity of the bass will not satisfy a basshead’s uncouth craving – the TF1. They may also not be engaging enough for those who tend to get bored with balanced, neutral sound – like the RE0 but to a lesser degree they can be described as sounding . Lastly, the treble sparkle can quite easily cross the line separating it from brightness for some people. A poor fit can exacerbate the problem. Amping: Although the CK1. Amp. 3, they are not difficult too drive. There are small increases in speed, resolution, and bass slam when they are amped, but I often eschew an amp for the sake of portability when using the CK1. IEM I have no qualms about carrying around without a case. Value (8/1. 0) – Upon release, the CK1. Audio- Technica’s flagship and retailed at or near the $3. MSRP, but sold closer to $2. With my personal affinity for its sound I’m tempted to say that it is still some of the best money one could spend. However, with budget and mid- range earphones constantly improving, it is becoming more and more difficult to make such statements. The RE0 still costs about 1/4 as much as the CK1. Is the RE0 1/4 of the earphone? That said and this being head- fi, diminishing returns are an expectation. With that in mind, plus the fact that the CK1. IEMs around, I find the asking price quite justified. Pros: Well- built, extremely comfortable, no microphonics, great clarity, detail, and imagine. Cons: Stock tips are underwhelming, flat bass won't please everyone. For a more in- depth review and comparisons to the Monster Turbine Pro Gold and Panasonic HJE9. C2) Ortofon e- Q7. Reviewed Apr 2. 01. Details: First IEM from Ortofon utilizing a new type of transducer. Current Price: $3. MSRP: ~$3. 20)Specs: Driver: Moving Armature . Cabling is in two parts (very similar to the original Lenntek Sonix), with a plastic sheath above the y- split and woven nylon below. Unfortunately, the large plastic strain relief on the 3. Also, there is no cord cinch and a small bump on the left- side strain relief takes the place of L/R markings. Isolation (3. 5/5) – The extremely short nozzle limits the insertion depth of the Ortofons by design. The IEMs are fully sealed, however, and isolation is still good. Microphonics (3. 5/5) – Though minimal in the nylon- sheathed part of the cable, microphonics are present and bothersome in the plastic part above the y- split, where it counts. Wearing them over- the- ear solves the problem but isn’t as easy as with other IEMs due to the long housings. Comfort (3. 5/5) – The short nozzle of the Ortofons means that the housings are nearly flush with the ear canal when wearing all but the longest tips. For those with smaller ears this may be uncomfortable. In addition, the length and weight tend to torque the housings when wearing them cord- down and moving about. A set of cable guides would’ve been nice to make the Ortofons more over- the- ear- friendly. Sound (9. 1/1. 0) – The sound signature of the e- Q7 takes on a peculiar mix of traits commonly ascribed to balanced armature and dynamic driver earphones. If blindfolded and given the e- Q7 for the first time, I would have attributed the sound to a dynamic driver, albeit a very clean and precise one. The overall tone of the IEM is just a tad on the warm side. Bass extension is impressive - not quite as deep as the dynamic- driver MTPG and Atrio M8s, but better than any armature- based earphone I’ve heard. Texturing across the range, but especially at the low end, is excellent, right up there with the best of the best. The bass is punchier than it is powerful but still boasts plenty of impact and great speed. The midrange is rich and full and acts as a unifying element, making the entire signature extremely coherent and musical. Similar to the Soundmagic PL5. Q7 despite not having any particular emphasis. The mids can sound a bit dry, almost grainy at times, and there is a tiny spike towards the upper midrange that can accentuate harshness already present in certain recordings, but I’ve really only noticed it a few times in the hundreds of tracks I’ve listened to using the e- Q7. The treble, on the other hand, is very smooth and inoffensive. It is devoid of sibilance and harshness but also doesn’t feel as endless and effortless as, for example, the ATH- CK1. RE0. Despite this, I wouldn’t call the e- Q7 laid- back or relaxed- sounding. They are highly resolving and detailed, resulting in an involving, attention- grabbing sound. Overall balance is excellent, with all signs pointing to the midrange but yet no lack of emphasis in the bass and treble. Soundstage width is impressive, falling right behind the RE2. Depth is decent, but not class- leading. Instrumental separation, positioning, and imaging, however, are all excellent. I’ve also said before that being enjoyable at low volumes is one of the hallmarks of a great earphone for me and the e- Q7 handles the lowest listening volumes quite well. A note on amping – if planning to pair them with an amp (not a necessity in my view), make sure that your amp is at least neutral. The e- Q7 does not play well with warm amps such as my i. Basso T4; it actually pairs better with my new Rocoon RC- 1, which is rather neutral, and the mini. Value (8/1. 0) – As one the most expensive earphones reviewed in this thread to date, it is very difficult to put a value on the e- Q7. As a total package, it does not feel like a $3. The cable is almost identical to the one found on the $4. Lenntek Sonix 3, several throw- ins are missing from the accessory pack, and the microphonics leave much to be desired. The short nozzle and sizeable housings may also cause fit issues for those with small ear canals. But all of these usability issues can be remedied or mitigated by throwing a few more bucks at the earphones for a set of Phonak cable guides, nicer tips, and a shirt clip. It is much harder to remedy shoddy sound quality but, luckily, that is not an affliction the e- Q7 suffers from. With tight bass, full mids, and smooth (albeit slightly rolled- off) treble the e- Q7 possesses one of the most coherent sound signatures in the land of portable audio. As with all high- end IEMs these are bound to have both strong fans and convinced critics in due time. Though the signature of the e- Q7 is far from the analytical and neutral type of sound I prefer, I easily subscribe to the former category. Pros: Beautiful design and packaging, very rich, detailed, and balanced sound. Cons: No true L/R markings, no cord cinch, fit issues likely for those with small ears. Special thanks to rawrster for generously offering to lend me the e- Q7 and allowing me to put it through the full testing regimen.(1. C3) Klipsch Custom 3. Reviewed May 2. 01. Details: Dual- armature flagship of Klipsch’s Custom line, recently discontinued and plummeting rapidly in street price. Current Price: N/A (discontinued; price as tested $2. MSRP: $3. 99. 9. 9)Specs: Driver: Dual BA . The memory wire acts as a strain relief and the y- split and L- plug are both very impressive. The nylon cabling, however, is atrocious. It kinks and tangles endlessly, ruining an otherwise very competent build. Isolation (3. 5/5) – The long, steeply angled nozzles allow for deep insertion, resulting in impressive isolation.
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