[ REVIEW / COMPARISON ] Two Flagships Pass in the Night: Sony XBA-4 Review VS the MDR-EX1000... - Page 9

Going to try the XBA-1 for my everyday use. XBA-4 did not impress me that much. 

The XBA-1 is the best sounding one...lol. 

XBA-2 has an ace up its sleeve though, I think with some tweaking it may surpass the XBA-1.

XBA4 and 3 are too v-shaped. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inks 

The XBA-1 is the best sounding one...lol. 

 

XBA-2 has an ace up its sleeve though, I think with some tweaking it may surpass the XBA-1.

 

XBA4 and 3 are too v-shaped. 

I just checked sony facebook pages and was reading all the positive reviews I was reading about the XBA-4. I kid you not one of the users has decided to use the XBA-4 for its music mixing! I realized that I am not crazy and infact the people who were giving positive feedback on the XBA-4 were simply either lying to themselves or they have never heard how the SE535, ERS4 or UM3 sound before.

Anyways i need a cheap IEM, not a fan of carrying amp now days. Eterna sounded good at the start, but now days I dont really like it anymore. Why cant the IE80 be cheaper :-(

wonder how they put up against the W4!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kameenadesi 

wow these XBA-4's really opened up!! The treble detail is awesome and the atmosphere is wide, engaging and deep... Bass is clean and punchy... And the mids are also way above average than expected. One of the best (and most fun) headphones i've ever heard hands down! They just needed some burn in, and patience... And yes, that feeling or characteristic of the treble, mids, and bass flowing together at the same time works magically... XBA-4's are my go-to Trance headphones, right next to CK10, IE80, TF10, and the FX700(which I dont have anymore, unfortunately) By the way, the FiiO E11 works wonders with the XBA-4 and CK10!

My XBA-4s live in a case with a Sansa Clip+ loaded with 40GB of Trance. Great combo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kameenadesi 

wow these XBA-4's really opened up!! The treble detail is awesome and the atmosphere is wide, engaging and deep... Bass is clean and punchy... And the mids are also way above average than expected. One of the best (and most fun) headphones i've ever heard hands down! They just needed some burn in, and patience... And yes, that feeling or characteristic of the treble, mids, and bass flowing together at the same time works magically... XBA-4's are my go-to Trance headphones, right next to CK10, IE80, TF10, and the FX700(which I dont have anymore, unfortunately) By the way, the FiiO E11 works wonders with the XBA-4 and CK10!

I have to agree with you. I haven't listened to my XBA-4 in weeks (months really) as I've been occupied with the ASG-1.2, JVC FXD80/70 and W4. But yesterday I popped them in my ears after a long absence and was quite surprised that I forgot how good it can sound. This might be one of the widest soundstages I've heard in a universal BA. The XBA-4 is tricky though. You have to get the insertion of these fat babies just right (not too deep) or your will obscure the beautiful sub-bass. But excellent spacing between instruments (It's as if they're are on a wide stage in an acoustically refined pavilion. Lots of details in vocals and mids. John Coltrane's tenor saxophone sounds so smooth and buttery on "Blue In Green." The texture of the piano keys sounds nice and full. I've had them up for sales but I think I might bight the bullet and keep them. Those of you can can this IEM for $200 are in for an excellent deal. The sound is worth more to my ears than the lost I would have to take in cash selling them. Is it worth the $360 I spent for them when they came out? No it's not. But it is  worth $250 to $300 once everything settles in with the sound, and at $200 it's a steal. 

I like this better than I liked the EX1000. The EX100 is great sound IEM, don't get me wrong, but the piercing highs my poor ears just couldn't bear.

A-recording, any plans on updating the reserved second post, perhaps adding your opinion on various SQ improvement variation you were able to achieved (if you were able to achieve any) by paring the XBA-4 with different amp, sources.

Thanks in advance. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by a_recording 

Ooh, no plans like that since I generally do not try to change amp or sources. Its never been demonstrated to me in a satisfying way that its worth the trouble or cost.
The graphs do suggest what differences you would expect to hear if you were curious.
I was thinking either updating the second post with comparisons with the MDR 7550, or making a new thread comparing the dynamics EX1000, 7550, FXD80 and GR07.

That would be superb as well. 

I have given up on the XBA-4, decided to keep for sack of its fun memory. On the positive side I learned that it is incredibly hard to design for low impedance sources and ohm and sensitivty are not the same thing. 

I got the impression from some comparisons that the sweet spot in the XBA line is the XBA-3's. I can swing a bit more money and get the XBA-4's ($225 roughly) but is it that much better? I also feel kind of bad getting the XBA-4's now since I will likely pick up the new UE quads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sygyzy 

I got the impression from some comparisons that the sweet spot in the XBA line is the XBA-3's. I can swing a bit more money and get the XBA-4's ($225 roughly) but is it that much better? I also feel kind of bad getting the XBA-4's now since I will likely pick up the new UE quads.

Without even trying I can gurranty UE900 would be a much better choice than the XBA-4. The ergonomic appears much better, and the sound I am sure it will be great considering it is still an Ultimate Ears brand.