Customer Reviews

Audio-Technica ATH-CKX9IS Sonic Fuel In Ear Headphones - Black

The first words to come out of my mouth when unboxing these were "WOW", as you take out the inner-packaging you're presented with a box that has two circles cut out which gives you a very nice glimpse of the product; at the bottom you have the case with the logo clearly visible, and on-top are the ear-phones which just look stunning, very sleek design with a mix of gloss & matte black.

If you haven't tried these types of C-tip ear-buds before, it's weird putting them in initially, but after a few attempts you quickly get used to it. One thing I really like about the C-tips, is that it fills out and grips onto your ear which keeps them secure and snug when in use.

Other features I like about theese headphones would be it's flat cable which somehow helps to prevent it from tangling, but also makes it easier to untangle if it does. I also really like the little volume slider located on the in-line mic.

Sound quality I find to be clear and very well balanced, as someone who loves a big range of genres, I like headphones which handle different genres well and these do just that.

Overall I would have to say these are a stunning set of premium headphones that not only deliver in sound but comfort too, so would highly recommend them.

I'm not an audiophile but I do like to improve my audio quality to the best I can within a budget. I consider headphones important but at the same time am wary of how easily they are broken therefore, I don't like to spend excessive amounts of cash on them. Spending over �100 is what I consider high risk.

I saw these A-T Sonic Fuel on the Vine so I thought I would see how these compare to my Sony MD-EX510's. Same price now (although the Sony is obsolete) but the Sony was originally higher.

In my testing I used the Cowon D20 32GB MP3 Player - Black - dogs dinner interface but outstanding audio. To be fair on the AT's I plugged them into my PC and played music into them all weekend to burn the in a little.

Physically, the AT is quite sizeable thanks the extra bulk of the in-ear 'c' fitting and driver covering. This adds to the weight so when comparing the two, the Sony ear piece comes in at 3g whilst the AT is 7g. Yes, the two are different design in the grip department but the Sony is much more comfortable to wear. The much lighter design means you are much more likely to not know that you are wearing them.
The major plus point for the AT on the physical design is that once they are in, they need to be extracted - they won't be falling out anytime soon! When in the gym, the AT is by far the better option.

Sound quality is tough to review because it's down to personal preference. If they were both brand new out of the box, the AT will impress instantly - the Sony's were shockers! But now, in my opinion, the Sony is the better sounding. I am not saying the AT sounds bad though - just a personal thing. I've sat and listened to three tracks from three different genres (my diverse music taste includes Ellie Goulding, Five Finger Death Punch and Mike Oldfield). All headphones are not the same! The difference is quite dramatic so please don't fall into that trap of 'the man/woman in the street wouldn't notice the difference'. Also don't even try to compare these to stock headphones! The Sony's produce a much more detailed sound but the AT's produce a deeper bass and clearer sound. I actually suspect that most will prefer the AT sound.

On the noise bleed/'how much will the annoy the person next to me' front, the AT's are far superior in isolation. Someone sat, 2m from me in a silent room couldn't hear the AT's but they could the Sony's.

Cables. The AT's employ a flat cable and the Sony's a round. The round is much more flexible but feels the weaker. Both get knotted pretty easy. Both headphones are delivered with fancy carrying cases but I don't use the option. I can't be bothered with wrapping the cable up all the time. I prefer to spend 30 seconds unknotting!

Presentation wise, the AT's have certainly gone to town with excellent packaging and fitting options. I would hope they've covered most bases when it comes to human ears (and maybe dogs too?).

As a conclusion, the AT's are outstanding value for money. Those thinking of making their first foray into splashing a bit of cash beyond what they MP3 manufacturer afforded them should most definitely put them towards the top of their list. If you want comfort over secure fitting I would stay away from the 'C' clip design though.

These are a top quality set of in-ear headphones.

Opening the packaging and you are presented with an absolutely gorgeous semi-hard carrying case embossed with the Audio-Technica logo.

In the case you find a beautifully made set of headphones complete with multiple sizes and types of ear-bud fitments. There is sure to be a size and style that fits your ears.

They really do look great without being too ostentatious.

Personally I found the ear-buds with the extra "C" retaining clip a little uncomfortable, so changed it to the more conventional fitment.

Sound from these headphones though is truly superb with bass being especially good without being totally overpowering.
Sound isolation was also really very good indeed.

I've got quite a few sets of headphones and these are easily the best in-ear set I have used.

I also think that they would make a very nice gift too as they really are so well made and presented.

5 stars.

I've got to admit to not being a huge fan of 'in-ear' earphones but these have been used 9 hours a day for the past few days and I must admit I've grown to liking them a lot.

PROs
----
Out-of-the-box they were a perfect fit. They clip in well in my ear with their strange 'C-clip' arrangement. Fall out? Not a chance, they are a very positive and comfortable fit.

Quality, crisp, clean sound too. I had to switch off the 'bass-boost' on my PC with these otherwise it was too heavy. On a number of occasions whilst listening to music I've thought 'That sounds good'.

In-built Volume Control, although this doesn't turn the music all the way off, at least not when plugged into my laptop. Just down to a low-ish level and up again.

The button stops/starts the music track and skips to the next if you press it quickly enough in succession. Takes some practice but works fine on a Nexus 4 Smartphone (Android).

Flat, non-tangle cable works better than the usual round cable from my old iPhone.

Blocks out office noise. Not as much as you might expect though. It all depends on how far you push them into your ears I suppose. But they definitely reduce the general hub-bub of an open-air office so you can listen to your music at a relatively low level, without damaging your ears.

CONs
----
Well, they are 'in-ear' which means you can hear yourself breathing and chewing (try eating some crisps with these in - guaranteed it will drown out the music). You can also sometimes hear the cable moving about against your clothes.

Not cheap. I don't think I'd pay this sort of money for *any* earphones but then again these are better than the twenty quid pair I last bought (and that sit in the bottom of my drawer, unloved and unused). So maybe it pays to pay more just once, and get the ones you really need, in terms of quality and fit.

Conclusion
----------
A nice pair of earphones that have converted a non 'in-ear' music lover. They fit great, come with several alternative sized ear pieces, the sound quality is excellent as is the build quality. You won't be disappointed with these. Dare I say it, an ideal, albeit generous, Xmas gift? I'd have been happy to find these in my Xmas stocking!

---

[If you found this review helpful please up-vote; if you didn't don't down-vote - leave a comment to help me improve my reviews now and in the future]

The rubber mouldings secure the headphones into your ear take a bit of getting used to. I have quite large ears but the medium mouldings made my ears ache after an hours use. Swapped to the small and I'm very pleased with them.

Took a few days to run them in properly and I'm now very happy with the overall response. It isn't the best sound I've ever had but given I'm only playing them through an iPhone with 320kbps mp3s the high end is crisp with noticeable bass warmth where present. I used to buy comply foam buds for my IEMs but with the rubber mouldings the headphones are held perfectly in my ears saving me the hassle of buying the expensive foam buds. I might one day get fed up with the rubber buds but for now they seem to be fine.

I am someone who is quite fussy about sound but am only willing to pay for value. Where to start...
These are great headphones for 65 quid. I listen to a wide variety of music from nas to maria calas to elvis to cole porter. My car has a 10 speaker bose sound system with a sub as well. While the car envelopes you, these make you feel like youre sitting a concert hall. Theyre simply brilliant for the money and fit really comfortably in my ears, as well as my brothers (who also thinks theyre great).

It's clear you are getting a quality deal when you open the package for these headphones. They come with a variety of different fittings for the ear so you can choose according to size. and the fittings look and feel a bit weird to start with because of the pointy bit (it's soft so don't worry) that enables the earphone to stay inside the ear. It took me a while to get the right fit, but once I'd fiddled around for a bit, all was well. The sound quality is very good. I'm no audiophile but there is a good depth of bass and the treble sounds bright and chirpy. All in all, very easy to listen to. There is a nice zipped box to keep the earphones in when not in use. Not a cheap rubbishy extra but something that I think does add value to the whole package. Finally the cord doesn't tangle which is a problem I've had with cheaper earphones. These are clearly a considered purchase, but if you are in the market for some quality in-ear headphones, these are definitely worthy of your consideration.

Having used a number of earphones with varied, but generally disappointing performance in the last couple of years I wasn't expecting too much from these.

They are the first in-ear c-tip design I've tried, having previously opted for the mote traditional earphones or those that latch over the ear. I was pleasantly surprised by their comfort. The c-tip comes in three different sizes much as the ear-buds do, and the soft rubbery plastic nestles comfortably in the ear holding the earphone in place without ever feeling awkward or irritating. On occasion it took me a few attempts to get it sitting properly and comfortably, but no more so than any other earphones I've used.

I always prefer a flat wire as it makes untangling the earphones so much easier, and these are no exception. I'm less keen on the black and grey design and would've preferred a full black colouring but that is purely down to personal preferrence. The in-line mic is made of a glossy plastic, but in contrast to a number of others i've tried, it doesn't feel cheap. The answer/play/pause button has a nice click without requiring too much effort, and I like the volume slider, although it would be nice if this could be locked in place as I did find it tended to get nudged by clothing.

In terms of sound quality, these are some of the best earphones I've used. They offer a very good balance across a range of different genres and do not resort to the excessive bass that has become so commonplace across a number of other leading brands.

All-in-all, these are some of the best earphones I have every used. Even at the elevated price point, the performance improvement on other earphones from other major brands, I can't recommend them highly enough.

Despite owning far too many headphones from Sennheiser, Koss, RHA, Denon, etc, I've never tried a pair of Audio-Technicas - a brand with a good reputation and, typically, far more expensive headphones than the ones I'm reviewing now.

First impressions were excellent. The packaging is compact and well designed, making use of stiff cardboard rather than plastic. The headphones and the case for their earbuds are stored in an origami-like construction with two apertures cut out to give a glimpse of what's inside. The 'phones themselves are black aside from the silver Audio-Technica logo. They look unusual and classy.

The earbud case itself is a sturdy little thing, packed with buds in a plethora of sizes and shapes, including foam tips, which many people would have to buy separately with other headphones. I don't typically change out my earbuds on the go, but a case for keeping them organised is definitely a bonus.

Fortunately, the default earbuds that come attached fit me fine, aided by the interesting construction of the earphone itself: it has a rubber extrusion that fits into the fold in your upper ear, thereby keeping everything secure and comfortable without the need for an over-ear band or wire like many other headphones. It works, although it took a little while to get used to. The cable tangles like all headphone cables, but it isn't too bad and doesn't generate much noise when I'm walking around.

So the fit is good, but what about the sound?

It's good. Very good. Clear and loud, even when listening to Spotify on my phone, as it should be. The headphones are versatile enough to deal with badly compressed streams and make them sound OK, and are also able to reproduce higher quality sources, exposing nuances of detail and tonality. The noise isolation is excellent. When walking I can still hear cars and so on, yet their muffled, and the slightly larger than normal construction of the headphone body seems to mitigate background noise better than many other in-ear 'phones. I didn't notice any particularly colouration or weaknesses in how the Sonic Fuels sounded, and they're at home with everything from 80's hip hop to 90's grunge to 1500s classical.

Finally, what about the smartphone functionality? It works. The mic functions extremely well - apparently it sounds clearer than when I speak through my phone's actual mic. Somewhat surprising, since the mic itself hangs fairly low when you have the earphones in, but it seems to pick up and isolate voice well.

Overall, a great looking and sounding pair of in-ear headphones with headset functionality and a great selection of earbuds as a bonus.

Packaging, ear-fitting, finish on all externals all very impressive. But sound quality another matter. Try whatever but bass hardly there. Treble region very shrill; moreover any kind of ensemble music distorts into a mash of sound. Makes listening to classical music unpleasant and nearly impossible. Don't throw your money away on this, as I did
.
IBK