[akaSM]

Hi, I saw some Sony XBA-3 on sale a couple days ago for 120-ish USD (1,550 MXN). There are a some things I've been considering though:
 
Right now I don't really need a new set of headphones, but, I wouldn't mind getting some nicer sounding ones, compared to what I have right now.
 
I have a pair of Sony MDR EX-90 LP, I love them (and got them really cheap too!). This are for those times where I want to have a nicer sound quality.
 
A pair of Sony MDR NC-33 for really noisy environments, Who'd have though studying in my college's library would be so hard? D:
 
My phone's headset for those "I want music now and my nicer headphones are in my bag/hard to reach ATM".
 
Here, the usual price for the XBA-3 is 220-ish USD (3000-ish MXN)
 
Now, I would buy the XBA-3 to get better stuff compared to what my EX-90 LP can do, including sound, quality of the cables and sound isolation. The music I listen to doesn't have any lyrics and I prefer an U shaped EQ.
 
So, what do you guys think? coming from EX-90 LP, is the upgrade to XBA-3 worth it? Should I wait until my EX-90 LP die before I get a new set of headphones?
 
Finally, yeah, I've been reading some reviews about the XBA-3 in this site but, I saw none that talks about them and the EX-90 LP.
 
Thanks in advance ^_^

 

[danduriya]

I have both the ex 90lp and xba -1. The xba sounds much better. It has better mirage and details. Bass is adequate and treble is pleasant. It has a flat sound. The ex 90 feels as if there is something missing between bass and treble.
.

 

[danduriya]

Correct- midrange not mirage

 

[akaSM]

Oh, nice, the XBA-3 are above of the XBA-1 so, the upgrade seems to be worth it
 
I'll buy them ASAP. Thanks danduriya.

 

[akaSM]

I just bought them and...I LOVE THEM. Some obvious stuff aside (sound quality and build quality), the noise isolation is awesome, I won't need to carry my NC-33 with me anymore. I'm on a VW Beetle (the old one with a noisy engine) and, I cannot hear the engine! (I'm not the driver BTW).

Even better...I got them for under 100 USD. I may even get another pair :3

 

[danduriya]

I have a dilemma. Because the xba-1 sounded so great I have been itching for the past few months to get the xba-2, 3, or 4. I just cannot decide and It's driving me crazy.

 

[akaSM]

If you can get a pair to play with, that'd be the best way to decide but, in my case it wasn't possible, hence this thread. Now, compared to my EX-90 LP, this ones have a better sound in many ways but, the most noticeable way is that the sounds sound more...uh...separate? And thanks to that, youj can listen to sounds you didn't hear before because they were muffled by the rest of the sounds. Now they're there and, you can hear them without "looking for them" but, they won't hide the rest of the music. Also, the noise isolation...the EX-90 LP were horrible at that. This ones (with the included foam/silicone tips) will replace my NC-33 in those noisy environments.

Also, I got them for less than 100 USD (1,240 MXN) so, there's no way I hadn't gotten 2 (I bought my 2nd pair a while ago)

Anyway, have in mind that, I have no idea about headphones in general and that all the things I say are from my limited personal experience.

Before making this thread, I did some reading here at Head-fi, there's a thread dedicated to the XBA headphones, you might want to look at it

 

[danduriya]

Why did u get 2 pairs?

 

[akaSM]

They were too good for that price :3

 

[danduriya]

What are you going to do with the second pair?

 

[akaSM]

Keep them stored until I need them, especially since they're good with the noise isolation part and, I'll be carrying them with me everywhere. Or, I may sell them if needed because I got them for less than half their price :3

 

[xszing]

May I ask where you got them? I had the EX82 that came with the Sony A818... Until a friend lost them... Been looking for a step up from my current Sennheiser CX300 (too much bass!)... I'd love to get them for $1,550 MXN!
 
And if you can't hear a Vocho it will probably block my office neighbours!!

 

[akaSM]

Liverpool, you can even check the price at their site. I was shocked when they had a price that low (compared to Sanborns and other big fancy stores), not even Mercadolibre has a price as low as that O_O. And yeah, those silicone/foam tips are amazing, and did something even my NC-33 had trouble with. Letting me listen to music at a reasonable level inside of a vocho.

 

[Yggdrassilious]

Take it from someone who's owned all 4 at some point - Stick with the XBA1. The 3 and 4 aren't that much better. The difference may be noticeable, but the general sound is the same, and you are giving up comfort and fit when you give up the XBA1. The 3 and 4 are so much fatter, bulkier, and heavier, it is just not very comfortable. 
 
Quote:

I have both the ex 90lp and xba -1. The xba sounds much better. It has better mirage and details. Bass is adequate and treble is pleasant. It has a flat sound. The ex 90 feels as if there is something missing between bass and treble.
.

 

[xszing]

Thanks! I think they're back at the original price, although their site is notoriously useless... This might have been a case of mislabeling on their part...? I am *not* that lucky! These were not even on my radar but at the price you got them... No brainer.