[newworld666]

You know the “Baby-IER” is the Sony XBA-N3. That way you have many of the sound attributes of the IER-Z1R. Really the more I think about this, I would have recommended this first. The bass may seem heavy, heavier than the IER, but put some wide bore tips on them and drive them with a brighter source and you may be fine.

So #1 XBA-N3
# 2 Rose QT-9MK2

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-xba-n3.22428/reviews#review-24616

Till now I couldn't decide which one to choose betwwen the Rose and the Sony, but I could find this week for 130€ on the local "ebay like" market a brand new box of XBA-N3AP ..
I am surprise how tiny they are and that they can even be used around the ears with :
-> FIIO LC-2.5D MMCX High-Pure Silver Litz.
-> and some very soft and comfortable Xelento V2 eartips.

To tell the the truth, the sound quality is better than expected, and it seems I get some little improvements when I apply some PEQ adjustments (based on Crinacle Harman Target AutoEQ WEB calculator).
I could even use these for sleeping with my head on the side... I will see in a few weeks (after a decent brain burning period), but it's possible that this hybrid XBA-N3AP is maybe still a bit less comfortable than my Xelento, but maybe it's a real sound quality improvement in the low/ultra-low frequencies (less muddy ?) and maybe more detailed high frequencies too .. I imagine something like in between my IER-Z1R and Xelento...

 

[Redcarmoose]

Finding the XBA-N3 like that is precious. Congratulations!

For me it was an enlightening experience of finally learning not to use the included ear-tips? I mean where I was going (signature wise) I was looking for a more nimble bass response, and the included Sony dual-density ear-tips, which still great for other IEMs....didn’t do what I wanted with the low-end. Switching to some “blue” Dunu wide-bore ear-tips seemed to clean-up the low-end and tighten-up the pace? It is amazing just how ergonomic the size is in the end. While offering surprisingly heavy note-weight for what they are, the N3 are classic! Rare to find that size being so unique in how they fit, with either cable-up or cable-down!

The sound simply gets better and better with brain-burn-in!

Till now I couldn't decide which one to choose betwwen the Rose and the Sony, but I could find this week for 130€ on the local "ebay like" market a brand new box of XBA-N3AP ..
I am surprise how tiny they are and that they can even be used around the ears with :
-> FIIO LC-2.5D MMCX High-Pure Silver Litz.
-> and some very soft and comfortable Xelento V2 eartips.

To tell the the truth, the sound quality is better than expected, and it seems I get some little improvements when I apply some PEQ adjustments (based on Crinacle Harman Target AutoEQ WEB calculator).
I could even use these for sleeping with my head on the side... I will see in a few weeks (after a decent brain burning period), but it's possible that this hybrid XBA-N3AP is maybe still a bit less comfortable than my Xelento, but maybe it's a real sound quality improvement in the low/ultra-low frequencies (less muddy ?) and maybe more detailed high frequencies too .. I imagine something like in between my IER-Z1R and Xelento...

 

[Redcarmoose]

Till now I couldn't decide which one to choose betwwen the Rose and the Sony, but I could find this week for 130€ on the local "ebay like" market a brand new box of XBA-N3AP ..
I am surprise how tiny they are and that they can even be used around the ears with :
-> FIIO LC-2.5D MMCX High-Pure Silver Litz.
-> and some very soft and comfortable Xelento V2 eartips.

To tell the the truth, the sound quality is better than expected, and it seems I get some little improvements when I apply some PEQ adjustments (based on Crinacle Harman Target AutoEQ WEB calculator).
I could even use these for sleeping with my head on the side... I will see in a few weeks (after a decent brain burning period), but it's possible that this hybrid XBA-N3AP is maybe still a bit less comfortable than my Xelento, but maybe it's a real sound quality improvement in the low/ultra-low frequencies (less muddy ?) and maybe more detailed high frequencies too .. I imagine something like in between my IER-Z1R and Xelento...

The other factors for my purchase began with the fact that when the XBA-N3 came out they were one of the few that came with 4.4mm standard. I mean nowadays just 4.4mm means almost nothing as everything has normally an offering of that specific route to go, yet when I picked-up the XBA-N3, it was a deciding factor.

Strangely I was in Tokyo and cruising the Sony corporate headquarters when I needed a souvenir to take home. The N3 fit the bill, yet it sat in my collection not used till a few things happened!

A friend asked me to try the N3 with the cables in various positions and I started to demo the N3 with (new) at the time, MrWalkman’s firmware.

I can not overemphasize the joint combination of both the Sony WM1A (firmware-enhanced) and the “blue” Dunu ear-tips. Such a 1,2 add was imperative to me liking the newly found pace of the N3, and subsequently writing a review about it!

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-xba-n3.22428/reviews#review-24616

 

[newworld666]

The other factors for my purchase began with the fact that when the XBA-N3 came out they were one of the few that came with 4.4mm standard. I mean nowadays just 4.4mm means almost nothing as everything has normally an offering of that specific route to go, yet when I picked-up the XBA-N3, it was a deciding factor.

Strangely I was in Tokyo and cruising the Sony corporate headquarters when I needed a souvenir to take home. The N3 fit the bill, yet it sat in my collection not used till a few things happened!

A friend asked me to try the N3 with the cables in various positions and I started to demo the N3 with (new) at the time, MrWalkman’s firmware.

I can not overemphasize the joint combination of both the Sony WM1A (firmware-enhanced) and the “blue” Dunu ear-tips. Such a 1,2 add was imperative to me liking the newly found pace of the N3, and subsequently writing a review about it!

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sony-xba-n3.22428/reviews#review-24616

Till now, I was even not considering the XBA-N3, though you recommended it, as I was thinking it was at least as big as the Z1R with a cable-down..and I was sure the Z1R had a far better sound quality for my purpose. The Z1R SQ is like my absolute reference till now.

I have just read your review and already I agree with most of the points you wrote.

Though it's a bit too early for me to have a final clear feeling, as I even didn't try yet the XBA-N3 with my WM1A , and I am also waiting for the woody JVC HW1800 to make some serious comparison about low and ultra frequency textures of both => but, I am clearly nicely surprised by the sound quality and the comfort even in cable-up position by the XBA-N3.

Thank you for your recommendation, like I already enjoyed your advice with the surprising too Tangzu WU Zetian...

 

[Redcarmoose]

Till now, I was even not considering the XBA-N3, though you recommended it, as I was thinking it was at least as big as the Z1R with a cable-down..and I was sure the Z1R had a far better sound quality for my purpose. The Z1R SQ is like my absolute reference till now.

I have just read your review and already I agree with most of the points you wrote.

Though it's a bit too early for me to have a final clear feeling, as I even didn't try yet the XBA-N3 with my WM1A , and I am also waiting for the woody JVC HW1800 to make some serious comparison about low and ultra frequency textures of both => but, I am clearly nicely surprised by the sound quality and the comfort even in cable-up position by the XBA-N3.

Thank you for your recommendation, like I already enjoyed your advice with the surprising too Tangzu WU Zetian...

Probably the most accidental review was the XBA-N3, being that it was not getting the love it deserved. Then a request to do some tests forced me to have interface with it. It truly is the origination of the IER-Z1R ideas.......finding the (future) IER-Z1R with better controlled bass. Where the XBA-N3 took a little effort to dial-in, at least with me. I see it as the continuation of the Sony sound. Amazingly many like the XBA-N3 better than the XBA-Z5, as it's not quite as heavy sounding?

The Tangzu Wu Zetian is another easy recommendation, glad you enjoy it!

 

[newworld666]

I have spent a pair of hours this morning to do some BT receiver rolling ( NW-WM1A & BTR7) and also some limited IEM comparison (only XBA-N3 and WU Zetian only)
But, I am impressed by the Sound Quality improvement for the XBA-N3 to be used with the WM1A compared to the BTR7.
I tried with and without Parametric Auto EQ (based on Harman Target) applied to both IEM => but sound is really "fuller/extended " with the N3, as the WU Zetian sounds a bit "thin" in any situations/genre compared to the XBA-N3.
In a way, I was thinking that the "old" WM1A would be probably outperformed by a very recent BTR7 (in LDAC mode with a recent ESS DAC) moreover with a certified powerful THX amp... but, surprisingly, it's not the case at all, the difference in advantage of the WM1A with the XBA-N3 is significant.

With ASR measurements, it should have been the opposite with a significantly better sound quality with the new BTR7... WM1A is maybe much bigger, but more eeficient for sound quality.

 

[Redcarmoose]

ASR went and tested the WM1A and rated it accordingly, which means they simply put it up against other devices and used limited headphones to test it, maybe.

In others words, yes there could be found a synergy with the 1A? An unexpected sound maybe?

 

[Tybot]

For what it's worth, my search for the perfect sleep combo has ended on:

WM1A (I set the sleep timer to 60 minutes so it's not playing while I'm asleep. The battery lasts 1-2 weeks)
IE 900 (Great sound, nearly undetectable when sleeping on my side. MMCX connectors are much more durable than 2pin while sleeping)
4.4 stock cable (This is a big factor...it's a 90 degree connector which is both robust and nearly impossible to break when rolling over during the night.)

Worry-free, great sound.

 

[newworld666]

For what it's worth, my search for the perfect sleep combo has ended on:

WM1A (I set the sleep timer to 60 minutes so it's not playing while I'm asleep. The battery lasts 1-2 weeks)
IE 900 (Great sound, nearly undetectable when sleeping on my side. MMCX connectors are much more durable than 2pin while sleeping)
4.4 stock cable (This is a big factor...it's a 90 degree connector which is both robust and nearly impossible to break when rolling over during the night.)

Worry-free, great sound.

Unfortunately, I already had serious driver failure (connector ?) with a IE600 once and IE900 twice, probably because I used them for sleeping..
I have sent them everytime under warranty to Sennheiser for exchange. I just did it with the IE600 and am waiting for them to come back once more... I won't use them anymore. With the Xelento I don't have any issue for 2 years now and the most comfortable over all.
I was interested in hybrid tech so I gave a try to the XBA-N3 as the IER-Z1R is my absolute sound quality reference.

 

[newworld666]

As I am enjoying a lot this XBA-N3, I just had a mind to spend a pair of hours to take a few pictures of this tiny and rather cheap IEM. Just to memorize it as it is as new (less than 2 months out of the sealed box)

And last picture face to face with another pleasure (JVC HA-FW1800) I had this last month with some "old fashion" IEMs