[Haonan]

I don't get the picture, is the brown rectangle like a screen in a movie theatre?  If it is, the SA-5000 sounds nothing like sitting 20 rows back in a movie theatre =/

Okay, for the benefit of you as well as those Head-Fiers out there who don't exactly understand japanese at all, I will try to do an explanation as follows.

リスナー is referring to the listener. (in this case, it's referencing to the listener 'yourself')
ステージ is referring to the stage. (also referring to where the usual performing singer/instruments are involved)

From my own listening judgement, like for example my Audio-technica CK100/Grado RS-1i, vocals/instrument soundstage is placed just as described for the Z-series, while phones like the EX1000/EX800ST is probably akin to what was described as seen in the EX-series. I'm not too sure about the MDR-SA5000, but according to Phile-web's japanese article which I did read sometime back, I think I did remember that the graphical chart was actually supposed to explain that the MDR-SA5000 has more of an opened 'beyond-the-head' soundstage rather than merely just placing the listener/audience 20 rows away from the performing stage.

Hope this answers your question.

 

[kiteki]

What's the litsunaa in the XB picture doing is he leaving the theatre or climbing up onto the sutejo? =p
 
The SA-5000 sounds more like the Z or EX picture, I used the SA5k for quite a while, yes it's an open-air headphone but it's quite up-front sounding. I traded it for the Stax SR-404 Signature, which I now traded for the ATH-A2000X.
 
 

 

[Haonan]

@kiteki: Lol I have no real idea since I have never heard the Sony XB series myself (personally not really a basshead-lover actually for that matter too), but the above illustrated chart is actually described and with the information provided by the Sony engineers themselves, in an interview conducted by Phile-web japanese publication. From what I'm seeing according to the illustration, it could actually mean that the soundstage for the XB series is to originally mimic the listener positioned nearer to the speakers/sub-woofer (low-frequency) but still not exactly on the stage yet in terms of instrument/stage singer placement, so overall treble were probably placed a few seats away just like the EX series, meaning not as upfront/forward-sounding as the latest Z1000 series headphones.

Just my guess.

 

[MichaJP]

Hi there!
 
I recon that I reply to an older post, nonetheless I'd like to thank you for the nice review!
Yesterday I bought the Sony XBA-30 and was disappointed because I had expected more bass :/
 
Today's challenge was shopping again, this time pondering about stuff found in online reviews like the XBA-40, MDR-EX1000, UE900 OR anything around that league.
 
Test listening the UE900 at Yodobashi didn't work well because there were too large eartips on them and I didn't want to bother the dude with finding smaller ones.
Then I saw the MDR-800ST in the glass case - a model I had not noticed in two days of browsing (mostly German) comparative tests.
Putting them on, connecting my 2nd generation iPod shuffle and listening 10 secs to it was enough to decide for instant buy.
 
Thank you very much again!
 
Cheers,
Micha

 

[Littleted]

Does anybody know if Sony plan to release anymore IEMs, I'm a proud owner of the EX1000 and my advice to anybody is shop around I can get them in the uk for about £280 but make sure you get some nice tips, although the pack contains loads, I ended up getting comply foam tips. And they turn them into nirvana.

I also own the sennheiser IE8i which are good but I only really use them when I need to take calls, as they have the mic.

Now I'm increased at the UE900 as I own a pair of 700s which for their size sound very very good, but I feel if I plump for some UE900 I won't outplay the EX1000,

I did test some AKG3003 but for 1300 dollars not worth it all all, too heavy, and sounded only slightly warmer than the ex1000s it gets micro incremental the gains after these sonys, and I doubt I,ll find a better unit.

So anybody know if they plan to drop any new ones?