[gerelmx1986]

My brother just received his also, they are on ebay from ds trade for 389 open box , and.I tell you , they are new, I started.listening to mozart, flac and sacd, and with my plenue.d, organs, cello, symphony orchestra, saint saens,symphony no.3 my god I finally appreciate this type of music, its.live, like music at a.big show, organs and instruments played at a cathedral, wow, this is really cool, to enjoy this , to experience this.

The same experience i get with my XBA-A3 which are similar to te Z5 except for tweeter BA and Dynamic driver coatings

 

[bada bing]

Well, I gave in to the curiosity. My rationalization to myself was I haven't spent any money on
audio toys in over a year. The two IEMs I have been wondering about are the XBA-z5 and the
JVC HA-FX1100. On the JVC, I have a bit of expectation bias because I've listened quite a bit
to my HA-FX750. I've never heard any Sony IEM, so the XBA-z5 is a leap of faith based on the
review descriptions here in this thread.

 
First up is the Z5. I've gotta say, straight out of the box it's an impressive performer. I seem
to get a good fit with the supplied large tips. Very nice bass extension. Very cohesive presentation.
Definitely colored, but seamless.
 
I'm posting after listening to the z-5 for the first hour. It's going to take me weeks to get these
two new IEMs figured totally out. I'll be running them head to head with my old reliable favorites -
my old school JH-13 and even older school TF10, the two IEMs I just can't get past. It will
take a while to see how much of my current z-5 grin is new toy syndrome, but so far I like.
 
Thanks to all the relentless posters in this thread. Know that you've had influence on at least
one lurker (me). Probably many more as well.

 

[jmills8]

Well, I gave in to the curiosity. My rationalization to myself was I haven't spent any money on
audio toys in over a year. The two IEMs I have been wondering about are the XBA-z5 and the
JVC HA-FX1100. On the JVC, I have a bit of expectation bias because I've listened quite a bit
to my HA-FX750. I've never heard any Sony IEM, so the XBA-z5 is a leap of faith based on the
review descriptions here in this thread.



First up is the Z5. I've gotta say, straight out of the box it's an impressive performer. I seem
to get a good fit with the supplied large tips. Very nice bass extension. Very cohesive presentation.
Definitely colored, but seamless.

I'm posting after listening to the z-5 for the first hour. It's going to take me weeks to get these
two new IEMs figured totally out. I'll be running them head to head with my old reliable favorites -
my old school JH-13 and even older school TF10, the two IEMs I just can't get past. It will
take a while to see how much of my current z-5 grin is new toy syndrome, but so far I like.

Thanks to all the relentless posters in this thread. Know that you've had influence on at least
one lurker (me). Probably many more as well.

Amp the Z5 and hear it scale.

 

[Meth]

Anyone here pairing the Z5 with the Onkyo DP-X1? Would love to get an impression with the balanced 

 

[cuiter23]

  Well, I gave in to the curiosity. My rationalization to myself was I haven't spent any money on
audio toys in over a year. The two IEMs I have been wondering about are the XBA-z5 and the
JVC HA-FX1100. On the JVC, I have a bit of expectation bias because I've listened quite a bit
to my HA-FX750. I've never heard any Sony IEM, so the XBA-z5 is a leap of faith based on the
review descriptions here in this thread.

 
First up is the Z5. I've gotta say, straight out of the box it's an impressive performer. I seem
to get a good fit with the supplied large tips. Very nice bass extension. Very cohesive presentation.
Definitely colored, but seamless.
 
I'm posting after listening to the z-5 for the first hour. It's going to take me weeks to get these
two new IEMs figured totally out. I'll be running them head to head with my old reliable favorites -
my old school JH-13 and even older school TF10, the two IEMs I just can't get past. It will
take a while to see how much of my current z-5 grin is new toy syndrome, but so far I like.
 
Thanks to all the relentless posters in this thread. Know that you've had influence on at least
one lurker (me). Probably many more as well.

 
I have my eyes on the FX1100 as well, how are they? Please feel free to PM me don't want to derail the thread.
 
Thanks!

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

Been z5 owner nearly a year now, running atm balanced from PONO and I've tbh totally forgotten about audiophilia ..Im just listening to music again. pure BA iems wrecked my head as they ate too much into the track. The z5s are super nicely balanced...between sub bass and bass mass and nice crisp detail and instrument separation. The stereo L/R panning and height of the soundstage is just phenomenal too. The mids are nicely forward too! Perfect SQ ever imo for any headphone or iem I've ever tried. Just ticks all the boxes. 
 
Lately enjoy 24bit Kendrick Lamar Pimp a Butterfly on em and really nice ... my HD650s could be better with full amp deck maybe on total immersion but not by much! 

 

[BlinkST]

  Anyone here pairing the Z5 with the Onkyo DP-X1? Would love to get an impression with the balanced 

The Z5 uses dual 3.5mm input jacks. You'd have to guy a different cable to use it with the 2.5mm input on the Onkyo, Astell players etc.

 

[AeroSatan]

As much as I used to love my TF10's, I can't go back to them after the Z5's  The Z5's are better in every way
 
 
 
 
Quote:

  Well, I gave in to the curiosity. My rationalization to myself was I haven't spent any money on
audio toys in over a year. The two IEMs I have been wondering about are the XBA-z5 and the
JVC HA-FX1100. On the JVC, I have a bit of expectation bias because I've listened quite a bit
to my HA-FX750. I've never heard any Sony IEM, so the XBA-z5 is a leap of faith based on the
review descriptions here in this thread.

 
First up is the Z5. I've gotta say, straight out of the box it's an impressive performer. I seem
to get a good fit with the supplied large tips. Very nice bass extension. Very cohesive presentation.
Definitely colored, but seamless.
 
I'm posting after listening to the z-5 for the first hour. It's going to take me weeks to get these
two new IEMs figured totally out. I'll be running them head to head with my old reliable favorites -
my old school JH-13 and even older school TF10, the two IEMs I just can't get past. It will
take a while to see how much of my current z-5 grin is new toy syndrome, but so far I like.
 
Thanks to all the relentless posters in this thread. Know that you've had influence on at least
one lurker (me). Probably many more as well.

 

[bada bing]

As much as I used to love my TF10's, I can't go back to them after the Z5's  The Z5's are better in every way

 I'm well into "new toy syndrome" with my Z5. I know enough about myself to know I can't
give a good opinion about equipment until I've had it long enough for it be "old hat". There have
been lots of examples of stuff that sounds great for the first week or two that I don't really
care for after a couple months. I don't seem to be alone in this, if you go by the number of
extremely positive comments on new equipment followed within a month or two by a forsale
thread. 
 
All that said, the Z5 is more impressive right now than about any other purchase I've made
in the last few years. Right now I'd definitely keep the Z5 over anything else I have - maybe
excepting the JH13 - if I was forced to go to only one IEM. I currently have a 6 y.o. stock TF10,
a 4 y.o. Inearz shelled TF10 and a back up set still sealed NIB. I've liked the TF10 that well
for that long. Right now, my new Z5 is better across the board. I hope that judgement remains
in a month or two. 
 
I made an impulse buy of a set of NIB MDR 7550 from the marketplace here that should arrive
in a day or two. I got the idea I wanted to see what the difference between the hybrid Z5 vs the
single dynamic 7550 was like and also the difference between the single dynamic JVC HA-FX1100
vs the 7552. I'm spending too much on IEMs right now

 after not buying any for almost 2 years.

 

[gordec]

The Z5 sounds amazing with Fiio X7. Excellent synergy between the IEM and the DAP. Previously using Pono balanced out to the Z5. My ears are not that trained where I can tell microscopic differences, but the difference with Fiio X7 is dramatic. Also I didn't think SE can hang with balanced out, but in this case it's actually better. I have Westone ES60 coming in 2 weeks, I hope I won't be disappointed because the Z5/X7 pairing is almost perfect. 

 

[pwncake]

A3 owner here. Personally, A3 represents an incredible purchase for the price - it is so close to Z5, the soundstage being the most discernible difference. (in fact, i prefer them to the, dare I say, shure 846)

Therein lies the issue for me - there is in fact a discernible difference between the Z5 and A3. It's been incredibly difficult for me to decide whether or not to take the plunge and purchase another set of IEMs that sound so incredibly similar; yet struggle with the knowledge that I'm missing out on the sound stage that z5 offers...

 

[jmills8]

A3 owner here. Personally, A3 represents an incredible purchase for the price - it is so close to Z5, the soundstage being the most discernible difference. (in fact, i prefer them to the, dare I say, shure 846)

Therein lies the issue for me - there is in fact a discernible difference between the Z5 and A3. It's been incredibly difficult for me to decide whether or not to take the plunge and purchase another set of IEMs that sound so incredibly similar; yet struggle with the knowledge that I'm missing out on the sound stage that z5 offers...

amped z5 yes.

 

[pwncake]

running on an iphone 6 + Chord Mojo + A3 setup atm. tried both the z5 and the a3. love them both.

 

[gerelmx1986]

  running on an iphone 6 + Chord Mojo + A3 setup atm. tried both the z5 and the a3. love them both.

and how does A3 AMPed vs Z5 Unamped sound? is A3 amped = z5 sans amp?

 

[cuiter23]

and how does A3 AMPed vs Z5 Unamped sound? is A3 amped = z5 sans amp?

Unamped - Z5 > A3
"Properly" Amped - Z5 >> A3

The Z5 has more of a rich HiFi sound you are used to in high end home theatres.