Audio Technica ATH-CK200BT Review

Fresh from my homies over at Audio Technica, the ATH-CK200BT looks small but lives large.  With decent sound and easy-to-use wireless connectivity, it retails for a decent $69, so what’s the catch?

Audio Technica ATH-CK200BT Review

The CK200BT appears lightweight and durable, with a slim cable, a mic and remote, and an integrated battery unit.  The battery unit also features a plastic clip to keep the earphones clipped in position if you’re on the go.

Slim and lightweight, the earpieces themselves fit like a dream, and yet don’t fall out.  Plenty of tips are included, so finding the right fit remains a piece of cake.

Pairing with a Bluetooth-enabled device also strikes me as being very easy – just press and hold the play/pause button on the remote and you’ll be up and running in no time.

Battery life on the CK200BT is rated at 7 hours of continuous playback, with a standby life of 200 hours.

Specs

Frequency Range: 20-24,000 Hz
Impedance:  16 ohms
Sound Pressure Level (SPL):  100 dB

Specifications for the Audio Technica ATH-CK200BT reveal a headphone with a fairly standard frequency range, a low nominal impedance, and decent volume.  These specs might appear a bit modest, but the sound begs otherwise.

Low End

The CK200BT sports a natural-sounding low end.  Not too overpowered, if there’s bass in the track you will hear it.  Add to this a fair amount of detail, and you’ve got a very capable low end by any stretch of the imagination.

Mids

Detailed and clean-ish, my only misgiving here is a whisper of compression. Not entirely a dealbreaker, that small amount of compression usually shows up in earphones at this price point.  Still, the sound in this part of the frequency range remains relatively contrasting and articulate.

High End

In the high end, the CK200BT waxes a tad bit bright, but not so much that highs become unbearable. Indeed, the overall sound seems fairly dynamic, with good detail lending itself to instruments or vocals.  Rest assured, this high end is fantastic for such an inexpensive earphone.

Soundstage

As I would expect from a Bluetooth earphone, soundstage seems a little underwhelming on this Audio Technica.  While there is some good depth here, the placement strikes me as only adequate.  Not necessarily an immersive sound, the CK200BT still provides enough room to remain interesting.

Other Observations

Bluetooth pairing is disconcertingly simple.  No wait time, just press and hold the play/pause button and BAM! you’re connected.

The natural sound is another hallmark of the CK200BT.  That tempered low end works effortlessly with ample mids and detailed highs to provide a certain kind of sound you just don’t see (or hear?) all that often in wireless in-ear headphones.

Recommendations

If you want cheap wireless earphones and don’t mind missing out on the CK200BT’s sweet highs, you could skip this model and snag the Sony WI-C300 BT earphones.  You’d save $20, and get a little less headphone in the process.

For those needing detail in a Bluetooth earphone under $100, though, the CK200BT hit a sweet spot and hits it hard.  That mellow, natural sound falls like manna for those who prefer a reference-like sound – even if it does come in the form of a wireless earphone.

Final Analysis

With an even-keeled sound and strong details, the Audio Technica ATH-CK200BT delivers a heady, natural listening experience.  And for the low price of just $69, these Bluetooth earphones are nothing short of a steal.  So what are you doing still reading this review?  Go snag one of these bad boys!

Available at the best price here:

Audio 46 when you use the discount code “majorhifi” at checkout.

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