Ok good advise, thanks!

If YOU don't like the sound of these headphones, does NOT make them "bad" or not HiFi"; it ONLY means they are not for YOU!   Just because you don't like some Hermès runway pieces, does NOT make them "bad", it simply means they're not for you!   These are amazing headphones for those who...

  Really stupid design, but maybe there are reasons behind it.   This won't be good for the battery  not cool, SONY!!!

  Oh no, not what I wanted to hear. Oh well...   Thanks for the reply!

  Thanks for the video.   So can it be used as a desk amp while plugged in and without charging the battery?

  Actually it'd be PERFECT if that's case! I wouldn't want to overcharge and overheat the battery while it's running off AC. Ideally, when on AC, the PHA3 can function as a desk amp with no battery involved; then can be charged when OFF.   I love the battery care function in the last two...

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Great to hear that you are enjoying the PHA3, and man I'm so jealous you have Qualia010 :)   Question: is it true that you can't use PHA3 as a desk amp while plugged in? (I was hoping that it would stop charging the battery and only uses AC while home)   Thanks!

  imo, you have to get Z7 with at least PHA3 if not also those Kimber Kable. otherwise the Z7's true potential is wasted, any "negative" impressions so far are folks who only listened to Z7 on its own or with their own amps; but all those who tried them with the PHA3, have reported very...

  http://www.sony.jp/headphone/products/MDR-Z7/feature_1.html#F_100   well I still can't find anything on the cable itself, but this is for MDR-Z7 and they are silver coated copper   http://www.sony.jp/headphone/products/MUC-B20BL1/store-w/feature_1.html   and no mention on the silver...

good point, but man, that's so much more work than just ordering a different set of cable eh? haha

Oh really? well the info on these are very limited, and I remember only read something about them being OFC not the silver coating part. on the SONY website it says     Product Specifications General Plug : Headphone Side: Gold-plated, 3-pole, stereo mini plug (x2) Player Side...

    Of course to be a fair comparison and to ensure the "best" possible quality, I will be selecting 8 wire options; and I'm completely fine with paying that amount for these cables, just don't know IF and how much better they are than the Kimble Kable option SONY is offering (like I said...

Thanks for the reply!   It's a given that any of these cables would be better than the stocks: for one, SONY felt the need to market them; and two, those cables cost more than 1/3 the price of the phones... :)   I took a look at plussoundaudio cables, and the LR series pure silver Type 6...

Hello everyone!!!   First post here; I had to post to find out more about the "right" cables for MDR-Z7.   I just ordered MDR-Z7, XBA-Z5, PHA3 and balanced Kimber Kable MUC-B20BL1 a few days ago, thought I would be set, then I read about different cables. Hope some experts can explain which...