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XBA-3/ XBA-30..The Appreciation thread. - Page 18

post #256 of 716
11/16/12 at 6:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by atomikn00b View Post


mine does. integrates with all audio I play. It's called Awesome Beats. but again. I don't think it's available unless the phone is rooted.

 

I don't have anything against rooting my phone (except for figuring out how to do it), so that is all good info. Thanks!

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post #257 of 716
11/17/12 at 12:00am

Using tips with larger openings really improves the sound of these!  Took the stock tips from the Monoprice 8320 and put them on the XBA-3 and everything just OPENS RIGHT UP, fortunately the 8320 tips fit my ears well when used with the XBA-3 so comfort and isolation is as good as the stock hybrids smily_headphones1.gif   Ironically, have swapped the Sony hybrid tips on the 8320 and the 8320's are no longer super uncomfortable to use...

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post #258 of 716
11/17/12 at 2:57am

Just bought the XBA-3 and the latest iPod touch from Amazon. Pretty excited! cool.gif

 

Is the XBA-3 much brighter than the Image X10?

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post #259 of 716
11/17/12 at 9:28am
Thread Starter 

The XBA-3 I don't consider bright. It has an armature that takes care of the highs a tweeter and to me it is a very complete sounding earphone. One of the reasons why I use these every day.

 

So I rethought about my little wider tip mod to keep my tips in check and considering I have many smaller hybrid tips that I never use. I ended up trying a new tip mod that some of you guys might benefit from. Again I am using the stock large tips that came with my JVC earphones.

 

The stem of the JVCs are a little too wide so I ended up cutting the stock from one of my hybrids and used it to increase the thickness of the nozzle. Pic soon.

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post #260 of 716
11/17/12 at 9:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

The stem of the JVCs are a little too wide so I ended up cutting the stock from one of my hybrids and used it to increase the thickness of the nozzle. Pic soon.

That's what I did.

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post #261 of 716
11/17/12 at 9:43am
Thread Starter 

700

700

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post #262 of 716
11/17/12 at 8:06pm
OK lurkers and XBA3 wishers either PM me or watch the FS section...

I will be selling my pair for $99 plus shipping!

Why the change of heart? One word... MDR-1RNC

I had a chance to hear a pair tonight and essentially they are the MDR-1R with the XBA-3 bass with exceptional noise cancelling. So I am going all in ($500) on a pair and between them sounding very similar to the XBA3 and my needing to be financially responsible I am going to sell these to help pay for them.
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post #263 of 716
11/18/12 at 1:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

The XBA-3 I don't consider bright. It has an armature that takes care of the highs a tweeter and to me it is a very complete sounding earphone. One of the reasons why I use these every day.

 

So I rethought about my little wider tip mod to keep my tips in check and considering I have many smaller hybrid tips that I never use. I ended up trying a new tip mod that some of you guys might benefit from. Again I am using the stock large tips that came with my JVC earphones.

 

The stem of the JVCs are a little too wide so I ended up cutting the stock from one of my hybrids and used it to increase the thickness of the nozzle. Pic soon.

They're pretty bright by my standards though. :P

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post #264 of 716
11/18/12 at 1:20am

Does the XBA-3 require break-in or have a break-in period?

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post #265 of 716
11/18/12 at 9:31am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaBomb77766 View Post

They're pretty bright by my standards though. :P

 

I think it can be. I experimented with my amps and dacs and I don't know about others but I think due to the high level of resolution in the sound, on more power than your standard dap it can sound like they have too much highs. My dynamic earphones sound much better amped or with more power than the XBA-3. This might be one of the pitfalls of having such a high level of sound to begin with.  Now on a simple dap like a clip and my Z1060 the synergy is off the hook great. Nothing sounds better than using the XBA-3 on my Sony Z1060, no harshness of any type just a brilliant sound.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sprkd1 View Post

Does the XBA-3 require break-in or have a break-in period?

Not really. The only part I felt smoothed out due to use or a break in period was the highs. They sound way better than on open box for me.

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post #266 of 716
11/18/12 at 10:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

 

Not really. The only part I felt smoothed out due to use or a break in period was the highs. They sound way better than on open box for me.

 

Thanks. Do you think it is a good idea to let the XBA-3 play overnight at moderate volume to break them in? I remember that when I first got my MDR-NC22 the highs were ear piercing. Over time they mellowed out or maybe my ears just got used to them.

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post #267 of 716
11/18/12 at 11:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

 

I think it can be. I experimented with my amps and dacs and I don't know about others but I think due to the high level of resolution in the sound, on more power than your standard dap it can sound like they have too much highs. My dynamic earphones sound much better amped or with more power than the XBA-3. This might be one of the pitfalls of having such a high level of sound to begin with.  Now on a simple dap like a clip and my Z1060 the synergy is off the hook great. Nothing sounds better than using the XBA-3 on my Sony Z1060, no harshness of any type just a brilliant sound.

 

It could also be the type of music I listen to.  EDM tends to have really peaky highs and is really compressed in the dynamic range so all of the high frequencies are always loud all the time.

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post #268 of 716
11/18/12 at 11:43am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sprkd1 View Post

 

Thanks. Do you think it is a good idea to let the XBA-3 play overnight at moderate volume to break them in? I remember that when I first got my MDR-NC22 the highs were ear piercing. Over time they mellowed out or maybe my ears just got used to them.

 

Ya I did this with mine. Worked out great. I also think using wider bore tips helps these open up the sounds a lot.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaBomb77766 View Post

It could also be the type of music I listen to.  EDM tends to have really peaky highs and is really compressed in the dynamic range so all of the high frequencies are always loud all the time.

I listen to much EMD myself so I know what your talking about. I think these sound at their best with non synthetic music as the revealing nature of armatures just bodes well with natural music. I actually prefer my dynamic earphones more for EDM. CKS77 XB90EX CKM500 FX3X.  To name a few. These certainly do well with EDM but for bassy synthetic music big bass dynamics are king for me.

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post #269 of 716
11/18/12 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

 

Ya I did this with mine. Worked out great. I also think using wider bore tips helps these open up the sounds a lot.

I listen to much EMD myself so I know what your talking about. I think these sound at their best with non synthetic music as the revealing nature of armatures just bodes well with natural music. I actually prefer my dynamic earphones more for EDM. CKS77 XB90EX CKM500 FX3X.  To name a few. These certainly do well with EDM but for bassy synthetic music big bass dynamics are king for me.

I've found that some less compressed EDM works well, though at that point it can hardly be called EDM anymore...dance music needs to be compressed to that 0dB sound wall. :P

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post #270 of 716
11/18/12 at 5:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsnuts View Post

 

Ya I did this with mine. Worked out great. I also think using wider bore tips helps these open up the sounds a lot.

I listen to much EMD myself so I know what your talking about. I think these sound at their best with non synthetic music as the revealing nature of armatures just bodes well with natural music. I actually prefer my dynamic earphones more for EDM. CKS77 XB90EX CKM500 FX3X.  To name a few. These certainly do well with EDM but for bassy synthetic music big bass dynamics are king for me.

 

I tried my dynamic R1's with some dubstep etc (they sounds good). But even though they might have more bass, the xba3's bass sounds better to me. I think I will consider myself lucky that I haven't listened to any of those other dynamic iems that you have listed! I love the xba3's with the edm music that I've been listening to (assuming that dubstep, trance etc is edm, which maybe it isn't). I am pretty sure that you won't be able to convince me that there is a better iem on the planet - that is until the jvc fxz200 comes out lol!

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