[amrbadrawy]

 
 
Great IEM!!
I tried them all side by side A1 A2 A3 Z5  and the A2 were good with hip hop and rock. Best price to performance in the whole shop.  My main compare was A2 to Z5 as I'm a basshead and the A2 gave me bass and clarity which with that setup and my tracks the A2 won out.
 
 
 

Can you give me suggestion for bass tracks you enjoyed so i could build an idea about your preference for A2 Bass over the A3 Bass "I'm XB90EX owner"?

 

[cuiter23]

  Can you give me suggestion for bass tracks you enjoyed so i could build an idea about your preference for A2 Bass over the A3 Bass "I'm XB90EX owner"?

 
I have no experience with the A2 but the A3 which has a larger dynamic driver coupled with a ported design should give you more oomph and impact in the low regions.
 
I consider my A3 to be a bassy IEM although I still really enjoy it!

 

[Reactive]

Hi, I'm based in Chandigarh, India. I have been reading a lot about Sony xba A3 and Z5. Can you please suggest which would be a better buy from price/value ratio.

Also can any Indian Xba A3 or Z5 owner let me know how did they managed to get their hands on these iems as I'm unable to find them on eBay.in or amazon.in or any other website. Please help!

 

[kms108]

I like to point out a mistake on the information posted.
 
AP mean iphone/android compatible
 
VP mean android compatible
 
IP mean iphone compatible
 
That being said, I think only the XBA 1, 2, 3, 4, XBA 10, 20, 30 and 40 states this,  from the H and A series they only have the AP version, which works with android and iphone.
 
I would like to point out that there may be a difference in a AP version vs non AP version, I have tested this on the XBA 1,2, 3 and 4 non mic version seems a little louder, this can also be the same with the AP, version as the XBA was tested with the IP, VP and non mic version. 

 

[samuelboy]

I've had the A1AP for just over a year now, and preferred it to all the other XBAs, all generations.
 
I had XBA-30 and H3 which I've already sold. I'm still having the H1.
 
IMO, the biggest flaw is their tweeter. After several iterations they still couldn't get it right. XBA-3/30 and 4/40 was the worst. Totally artificial, metallic sounding treble. H3 was much better, though still with some artificial metallic tinge. A2, A3 and Z5 were not much better, if any. Aside from the artificial metallic treble, the common denominator among all of them is that the treble is too boosted.
 
Tried the lastest XBA-300 recently. Sadly, the tweeter is still the achilles' heel.
 
Therefore for me, the "easy" way out is simply to go for one without the tweeter driver. The H1's full range driver was already very nice, and the A1AP's new full range driver takes a step further to eliminate some shrill in the upper mids. Very well balanced all-rounder. To me, A1 is the flagship.
 
These are all according to my personal taste.

 

[kumaiti]

 I had XBA-30 and H3 which I've already sold. I'm still having the H1.

 
Hey, Samuelboy
 
 
Did you have or listen to the XBA-3 (older version)?
 
How would you compare to the A1ap and A2. More specifically: say that you liked the sound on the XBA-3, would you say the sound on the A1 is "missing' in the highs?
 
I like the sound on the XBA3 though I can see your logic regarding the tweeter being the main difference between the xba a1 and a2.

 

[samuelboy]

   
Hey, Samuelboy
 
 
Did you have or listen to the XBA-3 (older version)?
 
How would you compare to the A1ap and A2. More specifically: say that you liked the sound on the XBA-3, would you say the sound on the A1 is "missing' in the highs?
 
I like the sound on the XBA3 though I can see your logic regarding the tweeter being the main difference between the xba a1 and a2.

 
Yup I tried all the XBA series at the store.
 
I don't find the treble in the A1 missing much. I actually find the treble very natural, more realistic, at most lacking some resolution. The balance across the whole frequency range is more even, and sounds great on any genre without fatigue. It's the tweeter-ed models that I find them overdone... fatiguing... trying too hard.

 

[kumaiti]

Another question:
 
In this thread it is mentioned that starting from the A2, they all have vents: http://www.head-fi.org/t/733404/sonys-new-2014-flagship-iem-xba-z5/2610#post_12112512
 
Does the A1 have it too? How is the sound insulation?

 

[samuelboy]

I don't see any vents on the A1. Sound isolation is typical Sony... average. I suppose it would be slightly better than their over-ears.

 

[cuiter23]

  I don't see any vents on the A1. Sound isolation is typical Sony... average. I suppose it would be slightly better than their over-ears.

 
Correct, there are no ports on the A1. Positives would be better using them outside/ on transit. Lose out on air and soundstage.

 

[kms108]

 

  Can you give me suggestion for bass tracks you enjoyed so i could build an idea about your preference for A2 Bass over the A3 Bass "I'm XB90EX owner"?

 
I have no experience with the A2 but the A3 which has a larger dynamic driver coupled with a ported design should give you more oomph and impact in the low regions.
 
I consider my A3 to be a bassy IEM although I still really enjoy it!

How much did the Japanese version XBA A1 cost you, I might get one, I don't want the XBA A1AP

 

[cuiter23]

 
How much did the Japanese version XBA A1 cost you, I might get one, I don't want the XBA A1AP

 
I've never owned the A1. I've owned the A3 and currently the Z5

 

[kms108]

 

 
How much did the Japanese version XBA A1 cost you, I might get one, I don't want the XBA A1AP

 
I've never owned the A1. I've owned the A3 and currently the Z5

Sorry, it was post 6, my eyes were playing tricks with me, yeh I see the a3

 

[ianeith]

 
How much did the Japanese version XBA A1 cost you, I might get one, I don't want the XBA A1AP

Cost me 152 bucks shipped on Amazon a few months ago. Good buy.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-inner-headphone-XBA-A1-Black/dp/B00NW35D2C/ref=sr_1_166?m=A3DE0IWD29UIX2&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1449100073&sr=1-166

 

[amrbadrawy]

I own the XBA A3, its awesome in every aspect except it's not comfortable at all and of course its never suitable for any outdoor activity even just a slow mellow jogging, so i intend to buy the A1AP, if you tried both of them what do you think, is the sound signature totally different "Considering that its not a Hi.Res certified should i better go with A2"