Originally Posted by ford2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The SA5000 is the better phone and considering it can be got for less than $300 on the forum why buy the 3000.
The only problem they have is the Y splitter that Sony fitted to the cable,sooner or later it will go,but if you want to go balanced at any time in the future you will have to replace it anyway as it is a 3 core cable.
The materials and build quality are outstanding,they are a very light,comfortable phone that require a good source,that said they can be driven very easily from a s-card.
$300 you have to show me though.. i havn't seen them under 310 euro.
A few people are saying the SA5000 needs a amp. Is that true? I find that it's sound good and loud even straight out of a DAP or pocket radio. For me it is my most consistent headphone and easiest to drive. It easily picks up the signature of different sources and does not have the problem of sounding good with one source and bad with another like other headphones.
Originally Posted by Justice Strike /img/forum/go_quote.gif my god, i'm still amazed that of all companies it is sony that has the r10 and the 010.
btw i went to hear the sa5k and the store clerk told me that this was a discontinued headphone and that the sa1k they have hanging is soon to be end of life.
I'm assuming from this statement that you have not heard the SA5K. I think you should try to find a place to listen to them before you buy. I purchased that headphone blindly when they were first introduced several years ago. That was a mistake but fortunately at that time many people were curious about them so I was able to sell them quickly. I've purchased atleast 12 headphones in the last 6 years and the SA5K ranks dead last among them (IMO of course). What didn't I like? To me they are cold, shrill, lean and analytical. I found it difficult to listen to them for more than 10-15 minutes maximum. I burned them in for over 500 hrs and I really wanted to like them. I tried them on SS and tube amps with high quality sources like the Rega Apollo and Saturn.
I originally purchased them because at that time I also owned the Sony CD3000 that I liked and I figured that the SA5K would be an upgrade with some of the qualities of the 010. I've listened to the 010 and the SA5K is nothing like them (not even close) and that was disappointing. I liked the CD3000 more than the SA5K by quite a margin.
If you listen to them and like them, fine, buy them. If you buy without listening to them, try to buy used to reduce your risk of losing $$$. Here on head-fi, there is definitely a love/hate relationship with that can and I think the majority dislike them. That is my 2 cents.
Originally Posted by SteveM324 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm assuming from this statement that you have not heard the SA5K. I think you should try to find a place to listen to them before you buy. I purchased that headphone blindly when they were first introduced several years ago. That was a mistake but fortunately at that time many people were curious about them so I was able to sell them quickly. I've purchased atleast 12 headphones in the last 6 years and the SA5K ranks dead last among them (IMO of course). What didn't I like? To me they are cold, shrill, lean and analytical. I found it difficult to listen to them for more than 10-15 minutes maximum. I burned them in for over 500 hrs and I really wanted to like them. I tried them on SS and tube amps with high quality sources like the Rega Apollo and Saturn.
I originally purchased them because at that time I also owned the Sony CD3000 that I liked and I figured that the SA5K would be an upgrade with some of the qualities of the 010. I've listened to the 010 and the SA5K is nothing like them (not even close) and that was disappointing. I liked the CD3000 more than the SA5K by quite a margin.
If you listen to them and like them, fine, buy them. If you buy without listening to them, try to buy used to reduce your risk of losing $$$. Here on head-fi, there is definitely a love/hate relationship with that can and I think the majority dislike them. That is my 2 cents.
Its interesting that you mention you dislike them because they are cold, shrill, lean and analytical, when this is exactly how some people describe the HD800 (which you have, and I presume like)
Have you heard the ER4S? I'm really curious to see how they compare (preferably without a price to be paid)
Originally Posted by MrGreen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Its interesting that you mention you dislike them because they are cold, shrill, lean and analytical, when this is exactly how some people describe the HD800 (which you have, and I presume like)
Have you heard the ER4S? I'm really curious to see how they compare (preferably without a price to be paid)
I like the HD800 and I would describe them as slightly warm, resolving but not in an analytical way. I can listen to them for hours without fatigue. I could not do that with the SA5K. The 800s aren't perfect but no headphone is IMO.
I like them better than my other headphones, HD650, K340 and the Edition 9 that I sold last week. If I could tweak their sound, I would darken them just a tad but not much. Maybe my new tube amp, Zana Deux SE, that is coming in a week or two will provide a touch of what I'm looking for.
Yes I used to own the ER4P/S. Mine were the 4P but I had the 4S adapter cable. It was my first IEM and I liked it alot. When I got the E500, I liked the fuller body sound and bass of the Shures better than the Etys so I eventually sold them. I liked the Ety 4P/S better than the SA5K if that is what you were asking.
you know, i have sleek audio's sa-6. they where a huge adjustment for me because they had a very very neutral sound. I hated it, but now i actually am quite fond of that signature. I'm not sure if this is comparable, but perhaps this is also the case with the sa5k
It took some getting used to, but the SA5000 is actually my longest held headphone. They have very little coloration, so if you are used to that they may come off as dull. However the reproduction of quality audio is perfect. Vocals sound amazing.
I am a fan of Sony HPs, I really like the V6s as well. Who would of thunk it with Sony, but they have some contenders.
Originally Posted by Pangaea /img/forum/go_quote.gif It took some getting used to, but the SA5000 is actually my longest held headphone. They have very little coloration, so if you are used to that they may come off as dull. However the reproduction of quality audio is perfect. Vocals sound amazing.
I am a fan of Sony HPs, I really like the V6s as well. Who would of thunk it with Sony, but they have some contenders.
out of curiosity, how high into the headphone game have you gone (since you seem to suggest you've sold a number of phones), and does this mean they get the most head time, or do you just not want to sell them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveM324 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I liked the Ety 4P/S better than the SA5K if that is what you were asking.
Can you elaborate why?
I'm looking for a more "hi fi" version of the Etys because IMO, although they are excellent for their size, things seem slightly compressed (even with some very well recorded music) and I'm looking to make things like crystal; and I'd like to make the move first with the headphones, although I dont intend to spend as much as an HD800 because I still have a nice speaker setup that I intend to use most of the time. If the SA5K is essentially that, but with slightly less bass; I think I could live with that (although perhaps not for some jazz where I find the bass is a bit quiet compared to the rest of the spectrum, like kind of blue). Ultimately I'd like to look at a qualia or an HD800 or a STAX model (or the HE5...) but I still want to test the water a bit more before I go the big time.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
