[lin0003]

An O2 might be better here. 

 

[djvkool]

I'm a bit concerned because all I have is the c5. I might end up borrowing another amp if the c5 doesnt cut it. I was told however that this should work. So crossed fingers...

 
If you ever need a desktop amp mate, look at Aune T1

1. It will drive anything
2. It is a tube amp, so you can fully customize the sound by tube rolling
3. Looks cool, especially in a darkened room

 
Ask @H20Fidelity, he'll tell you how good and cool it is 

 

[d marc0]

All different but I find the silicone hybrids also elevate the mids and vocals, not just treble. I'm hearing things in the mids that I was missing before. IMHO only

 
So I redo my tests with the Sony hybrid tips both types: w/o foam and with foam.
 
In my review I used the medium hybrid tips w/o foam and like i said it accentuated the highs. I didn't have the same effect with the medium hybrid noise isolating tips w/ foam so I went with them.
 
So this time I used the large hybrid tips and the large hybrid noise isolating tips. There was no difference in the sound with both. My conclusion is that I wasn't getting enough seal with the medium hybrid tips w/o foam. My findings are still the same with the review tho...
 

  An O2 might be better here. 

 
I'll do more reading about the LCD 2.2 and hopefully i get a satisfactory answer.
 
 

   
If you ever need a desktop amp mate, look at Aune T1

1. It will drive anything
2. It is a tube amp, so you can fully customize the sound by tube rolling
3. Looks cool, especially in a darkened room

 
Ask @H20Fidelity, he'll tell you how good and cool it is 

 
Cheers mate... I'll read more about them. They do look cool and "premium" but I don't have much exposure with tube amps yet. So a lot of reading for now.

 

[H20Fidelity]

The Aune T1 is a great dac/amp, though purists might not be interested as it has rather high output impedance of 10ohm which in theory should/can cause havoc with 'some' low impedance IEMs (I use it with my full-size headphones), I will say though with all my IEM's even 10ohm Dunu, I cannot detect any audible difference despite the high OI. It's not all a loss though because T1 also supports line out via RCA so you can use the Aune DAC and feed any amp you want. So it has some nice features.

 

[nehcrow]

I'm a bit concerned because all I have is the c5. I might end up borrowing another amp if the c5 doesnt cut it. I was told however that this should work. So crossed fingers...

C5 is pretty low on power judging from the specs, not sure they are cut out for orthos mate
 
I'm really eager to hear your impressions on the LCD-2.2
...but also I might go down to A2A and hear them for myself
 

  The Aune T1 is a great dac/amp, though purists might not be interested as it has rather high output impedance of 10ohm which in theory should/can cause havoc with 'some' low impedance IEMs (I use it with my full-size headphones), I will say though with all my IEM's even 10ohm Dunu, I cannot detect any audible difference despite the high OI. It's not all a loss though because T1 also supports line out via RCA so you can use the Aune DAC and feed any amp you want. So it has some nice features.

 
Nice! Was always interested that amp/dac
Thought you would be more into the O2/ODAC, since you are cooler/leaner type  

 

[d marc0]

Hello friends! 'just updating you on what's coming...
 

Coming Soon:
 
 

• Dunu DN-2000 vs T-PEOS H-300 Comparison   
• Etymotic-Research ER4s mini Review                
• Noble PR (Pure Reference) Review                    
• AudioFly AF140 Review                                     
• Audeze LCD 2.2 Review                                                   

 

[FastAndClean]

I want them all

 

[satish89]

Man those Noble PR's look HUGE 

 

[d marc0]

Man those Noble PR's look HUGE :basshead:

They are actually not as big as they look on the photo. They fit me well considering I have small ears.

 

[vlenbo]

 

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

Sony XBA H3 Review and Comparisons

 

 

Celebrating Easter Sunday with the Sony XBA H3!
 

 

The moment Sony announced its entry to the hybrid IEM market I got really excited. Imagine a Sony MH1 tuning with the EX1000 bass and XBA 3 clarity hopefully w/o the metallic treble… This could be the best Sony IEM in history! Can it compete against the other hybrids that have gained popularity in the past couple of years? Let’s give the XBA H3 a go and find out!

 

SETUP:   Colorfly C3 > JDS Labs C5

                iMac 2011 > Stoner Acoustics UD110v2 > JDS Labs C5

                16/44 FLAC, ALAC, and 256kbps AAC

                TEST TRACKS: Dream Theater - Greatest Hit (…And 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs) album
 
 

 
 

BASS: Each and every hybrid IEM I’ve reviewed so far has impressed me with their bass performance but Sony’s XBA H3 is the first to bring a mixed bag of impression. It has a strong emphasis on mid-bass but oddly coupled with a close-to-neutral sub-bass. The bass quantity is not really at “basshead” level but the impact/presence is quite good. Unfortunately, there’s a bit too much mid-bass and it usually causes bloat and bleeding. This will also depend on the tempo and complexity of the track and I’ve noticed that it can get away with slow clean songs such as acoustic performances and ballads. The problem occurs when dealing with complex, fast tempo tracks such as progressive metal. Bass decay stays a little bit too long thus bass bleed/bloat becomes more apparent. Fortunately, the problem is not so obvious with some genres such as EDM and 80’s Pop/Rock.

 

MIDS: This is where the XBA H3 falls really short of my expectations; the mid-range is quite recessed. What makes it worse, the recessed area is right in the middle where most of the rich detail reside. As a result, most instruments such as the piano, violin, and guitars at high octaves sound dull and distant. Distorted guitars sound too thick and masks the rest of the details. Vocals sound distant and restricted, diverting your focus to the surrounding instruments. Fortunately, the upper mid-range is quite forward saving the entire presentation from sounding veiled. Vocal sibilance is never an issue which is a plus! The XBA H3 doesn’t have the clarity of the other hybrids I’ve heard but at least cymbals sound natural and clear providing the necessary sparkle to even out the overall presentation.

 

 

HIGHS: The treble section is the XBA H3’s main strength with enough presence to compliment the emphasised bass. It is very detailed, well extended, airy, sparkly, and never sibilant. Cymbals sound great and vocal sibilance is almost non-existent resulting into a relaxed listening experience without compromising detail. Micro detail is easily extracted and can easily compete against the best I’ve heard. The only fault that I can point out and I’m really nit picking here; is that the XBA H3 still retains a little bit of the grainy texture and metallic tinge that were prevalent in the previous XBA series of IEMs. Not as bad but still faintly audible to my ears.

 

 

 
 

IMAGING AND SOUNDSTAGE: Overall presentation is quite pleasing because of the XBA H3’s superb imaging and sound-staging that’ll project an illusion of being in a large concert hall with you situated right in the middle.  Instruments are placed well and will never sound congested no matter what genre you choose. Soundstage is not the widest but is perfectly balanced with its height and depth resulting into an impressive 3D-like presentation.
 

TAPE MOD: It has been suggested that covering the bass port and punching a needle-sized hole over the port can help improve the bass performance. After trying this mod on the Sony XBA H3, I am convinced that this is a MUST! Not only did it lessen the mid-bass hump, it also improved the speed, decay, and impact. The mid-bass no longer bled as much and the bloat is almost gone! As a bonus, the recession in the mids is now only noticeable at a lesser extent because it is no longer overwhelmed by the mid-bass.
 
 

 
 
VS DUNU DN-1000: 

The Sony XBA H3 bass is not as controlled nor detailed against the DN-1000. Sub-bass rolls-off much earlier and is less visceral when compared against the Dunu. Bass guitar riffs are better defined on the DN-1000 especially on complex and fast tempo recordings. However, with the Tape Mod applied on the XBA H3, the improvements in its bass is so drastic that the overall performance now matches the DN-1000.

 

The mid-range is less desired on the XBA H3 because the DN-1000 is more forward with clarity that goes beyond its price range. Vocals are more enticing with the Dunu plus the instruments sound richer and the overall presentation is more intimate.

                                

The XBA H3 is technically better than the DN-1000 in its treble performance because the latter is tuned close to neutral with excellent extension. The Dunu is not far behind tho, only trailing behind because of occasional sibilance in the lower treble (tip/insertion dependent) and it lacks a little bit in extension and micro-detail retrieval when compared to the Sony. However, Sony’s treble is a bit grainy and metallic unlike the smoother treble of the DN-1000.

 

Imaging is marginally better on the XBA H3 but the soundstage/headstage is quite similar to the DN-1000’s.
 
 

 
 
VS T-PEOS H-300: Bass and Mid-range wise, there is no contest here. The H-300 is simply the better performer in all areas because its bass is more extended, balanced, detailed, and visceral; the mid-range is a lot more detailed, richer, and has clarity that is remarkable in its price range. Timbre is also more natural sounding on the H-300 unlike the XBA H3 which can sound dull at times.
 
The XBA H3 is technically better than the H-300 in its treble performance because the latter is tuned close to neutral with excellent extension. The H-300 is not far behind tho, only trailing behind because of the obvious peak in the lower treble and it lacks a little bit in extension when compared to the Sony. However, Sony’s treble is a bit grainy and metallic unlike the smoother treble of the H-300.
 
The XBA H3 is arguably just as good as the H-300 in imaging but the soundstage/headstage sounds more expansive on the H-300.
 
 
 


 
 

CONCLUSION: The Sony XBA H3 is the odd one amongst all the hybrids I’ve reviewed so far but I personally find the overall sound quite enjoyable. I am really attracted to its sound especially with the tape mod applied just as long as I keep myself not too critical with its flaws. As a side note, the presentation and sound signature is quite different from the other hybrids because the XBA H3 has retained the Sony house sound. I actually applaud Sony for staying true to their sound and I truly believe that if they retune that mid-range and lessen the mid-bass a bit their next hybrid can be great sounding IEM. Sad to say that this is not the ultimate Sony IEM that I’ve been hoping for. Sony XBA H30... maybe?
 
Special thanks to @djvkool for letting me review this unit.

 

It's unfortunate that the xba-h3's does not compete well with other hybrids, or at least loses out on its flaws.
 
But I'm very happy you enjoy them, thank you for reviewing these! They are indeed enjoyable, and if you want the bass fixed, then the audio technica's new push-pull earphones have that fixed.
 
While it may not have the bass quantity of these, it definitely has enough to satiate us, more than enough actually.
 
But since they're not going to be released in the US anytime soon, I might be able to ship it to your if you want to make comparisons.
 
 
 
Now,
 
 
I cannot wait for your future reviews of those five iems you listed! ESPECIALLY the Dunu 2000s, they have quite a following in both US and japan, .

 

[sfwalcer]

  It's unfortunate that the xba-h3's does not compete well with other hybrids, or at least loses out on its flaws.

^
LMAO what???

 

[vlenbo]

  ^
LMAO what???

 
 
I didn't include that from his opinion that the xba-h3s were not good competitors, that's all, lol.

 

[d marc0]

Before I did the XBA H3 review I had set my expectations and it's expressed within the intro of my write-up. So as I went through the review, my comments were more of a direct response to those expectations.

Then I did the comparisons to further confirm my findings. Unfortunately the H3 does fall short in a few areas when directly compared to the other hybrids.

Nevertheless, when you take the entire package as a whole, the H3 is quite competitive simply because of its unique sound presentation which makes your music sound pleasing. Which explains why quite a number of people really like them, including me.

I can truly understand why someone would prefer the Sony over its Dunu and Tpeos counterparts. Although in my case, it's the other way around.

 

[H20Fidelity]

I'll be demoing H3 soon, we'll see just how well it handles.

 

[d marc0]

I'll be demoing H3 soon, we'll see just how well it handles.

 
Really looking forward to your impression on the H3's.