[FlySweep]

Originally Posted by mugen3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I heard from several sources that the bass is improved on all the new XBA. The 30s are more full and robust than the 3s. The low end sounds dynamic-like to me.

 
I noticed that, too.. and not just with the bass.. this triple BA sounds impressively non-"BA" like as far as texturing, decay, and cohesion.  It's got quite the natural decay that good dynamics possess.. bass has excellent punch & speed, there's a slight bit of midbass emphasis that's adds a dash of fun, but it's not offensive or 'cheap' sounding at all.  I'm very critical of midbass, too.. so if it's hastily boosted & bleeds, I'll be the first to point it out.  The mids are smooth, slightly warm, liquid, and airy, reminds me a lot of the BA200's lovely mids.. but the XBA's mids seem a little more mainstream/consumer oriented in that they're a little more lively.  Treble is crisp and well delineated, but lacks any kind of overt brightness.  It compliments the mids really well.. but doesn't take a backseat to the other 2/3rds of the FQ range (bass & mids).  As you said, the tuning is certainly a nice mix of coloration & neutrality.  The build is quite nice, too.

 

[mugen3]

Well said! I completely agree with everything you wrote. Seems like you and I hear them the same. The XBA-30 are amazing, aren't they? Sony definitely squeezed out all of the potential in each driver. I've never heard a BA set quite like these. They have the fullness and decay of a dynamic but the detail and precision of a BA. The sound is definitely favorable for the mainstream consumer like you said. Perfect for anyone who just wants an IEM that makes their music sound fantastic with top-tier quality and refinement. Can't really imagine anyone picking a bone with these.

 

[daveyostrow]

so, are the xba30 just as source dependent?

 

[PeterDLai]

Rin did some tests of the XBA-3 and found that the frequency response resembles that of the MH1c.
 

 
Source

 

[daveyostrow]

they do sound similar, but there is an obvious difference between them.

 

[mugen3]

Cool find. I'm not surprised at all. I've been saying the XBA-30 sound like a high-end MH1C.

 

[d marc0]

Quote:

Cool find. I'm not surprised at all. I've been saying the XBA-30 sound like a high-end MH1C.

 
I felt the same way! The MH1c didn't have the speed to play metal tho... so I gave it as a present to friend and he's loving it!

 

[Currawong]

I can't remember if I got around to posting it here, but I did confirm with Sony that the XBA-30s have had their sound tweaked and an OFC cable added. I have only tried them briefly in-store however. Unfortunately stores here are very noisy so it was impossible to concentrate. I'll see if can compare them sometime.

 

[Dsnuts]

Hmm. Makes me want to try out a XBA-30.

 

[canikickit1]

So I ended up getting the XBA-40 as well.
 
Once I get all of them I'll do a compare contrast between xba-3,xba-30 and xba-40. Which ever one I don't keep I will end up selling here.
 
I vowed to have the XBA-40s as my last iem purchase 

 

[Tangster]

Quote:

So I ended up getting the XBA-40 as well.
 
Once I get all of them I'll do a compare contrast between xba-3,xba-30 and xba-40. Which ever one I don't keep I will end up selling here.
 
I vowed to have the XBA-40s as my last iem purchase 

Look forward to your comparisons. 

 

[PeterDLai]

The silver XBA-30 at Amazon.jp is at an all-time low price (￥12,603 or roughly $140 USD) but not in stock ("Usually ships within 1 to 2 months"). I doubt it would go much lower but who knows...
 

 

[mugen3]

$140. That is a steal. There's never been a better time to buy some 30s.

 

[papant7]

How does xba3, xba30 compare to xba3sl?

 

[Tangster]

Discovery of the day, the XBA-3 pairs brilliantly with the Topping D1.