[Hinomotocho]

A few questions about these phones:

1. How harsh is the treble on these? Is it well controlled?

2. Would Shure Olives work with these?

3. How's the synergy with an AK Kann or DP-X1?

I have owned these for about 3 years and I have never found the treble harsh at all on any of my wide and varied music. Obviously this doesn't mean much as we hear things differently, but compared to many other brands I've tried when I was in Japan, I feel these are very well balanced and have never shown to have any sibilance.

 

[Malfunkt]

Well some quick impressions. I managed to get a used pair of XBA A3 from japan for a more than reasonable price.

As a former MDR-EX600 / 7550 owner, I sold those in hopes of one day getting an EX1000. Well years went on, and just when I was about to buy one, some head-fiers (props to @Hawaiibadboy ) in the know promoted them here and on YouTube. That combined with their complete discontinuation by Sony means that they are exorbitant.

So I knew what I was getting into with A3, having kept up-to-date with what Sony was doing since the early days of creating the XBA series.

I definitely like these... but the bass.. it is too much. Ironically, a ton of bass is NOT great for high-quality electronic music. It is just too relentless. Like someone left the home cinema subwoofer on full blast.

With an IEM like the MDR-7550 you can safely increase the SPL get detail, get impact, and get that lovely dynamic driver bass. The EX600 was good too, a bit too rolled off on the low-end.

However, it is not all bad. Not at all. The XBA A3 are bombastic, but they are also excellent for timpani. This means for very dynamic music such as jazz and classical, the lower frequency percussion has serious impact. The 16mm dynamic drivers sound a bit softer and maybe not as integrated as they did in the 7550 to my ears. Perhaps that is the nature of the hybrid.

The overall tuning is not reference. This is more like very good home theatre. The sound is massive. Very open. An area where it exceed its dynamic brothers, is the top-end detail. Vocal are excellent. Pop music is exciting and borders just on the upper ranges of natural, never quite artificial but straying close. This is a very polished and exciting take on a mainstream sound. Sony's balanced armature design is very good quality, and really they seem committed to this and have made progress year over year.

It's like they mastered the dynamic driver in-ear and decided to give themselves a challenge. Based on the XBA-A3, I think it is an investment that is going to pay off.

I also have a pair of Etymotic HF5 (a poor mans ER4P, that is damn close), which is major bang of the dollar. Single armature, but tuned very well. More neutral and great value for those listening to dynamic music or who want more realism. It really comes down to what kind of experience you want. To me the 7550 hit the sweet spot - it was incredible with everything, and I actually feel the same about the HF5. The XBA is pure Hollywood - more razzle-dazzle, an impressive production.

So a bit of shade and criticism thrown at these. Surprisingly, these excel at listening to orchestral music, jazz, movie score, vocals productions, movies, etc. I don't think that was the intention. Of course, popular music productions, especially those with mixed instrumentation, are going to sound stellar. Vocals are spot on with these too... it just that bass.. a little too much Sony. Even a mixed hip-hop jazz production like Uyama Hiroto, that kick drum distracts. (note: I have listened to these a lot this evening, new toy syndrome, so for shorter listens the bass will be less fatiguing)

But hey, it could be me, I listened to a pair of Andromeda's the other day, and that was another headphone with too much bass. Everyone seems to love them, but it could just be a matter of high-price, expectation bias, and group think. They were great, and maybe I needed to spend more time with them, but for that price - no way. I also think at the full MSRP for the A3 (and I imagine the Z5) I would not want this signature - bit too much bloat.

So curiosity got me, as it does with this hobby/pursuit of sound. I'm glad to have these all the same. If I didn't have the HF5, I'd be trading these for a 7550 / 800ST

edit (couple hours later): After taking a break and coming back at them with fresh ears, they are better. They are just so full-on. But sometimes you want to experience music like that. This isn't an all-day headphone. It's something you put on for a while and immerse yourself. Also, low volume they are good, and the bass is balanced thanks to the Fletch-Munson effect)

day2: fresh ears.. okay. Definitely growing on me. This morning tested them out with some Drum n bass. And just for this experience alone, it is worth keeping. The low-rumble, the bass feels like it is creeping along the floor and up along the walls. My impression still stand, this is a guilty pleasure IEM - will please bassheads for sure, but also those looking for a more dramatic, impactful sound without sounding too processed. The simplest praise I can give it, is that it is very enjoyable with piano, with full body resonance.

 

[Sp12er3]

It definitely is a sound that grow on you the more you use it, recently I acquired a Denon D600, which also has big, layered and deep bass on it, and man I love it! It's a different tune sure from my daily, which is a Sony MA900, those has 70mm driver, Sure but they're so open they sound like stereo speakers, good stereo speakers but still there's no subwoofer on the floor.

The XBA A3 and the Denon provide that for me, they're both definitely the best for movie watching

 

[Malfunkt]

It definitely is a sound that grow on you the more you use it, recently I acquired a Denon D600, which also has big, layered and deep bass on it, and man I love it! It's a different tune sure from my daily, which is a Sony MA900, those has 70mm driver, Sure but they're so open they sound like stereo speakers, good stereo speakers but still there's no subwoofer on the floor.

The XBA A3 and the Denon provide that for me, they're both definitely the best for movie watching

D600 is a great can. Have owned it twice. The first pair I felt was better, not sure if it just sealed better or perhaps my memory of the first one wasn't correct. I really liked the presentation, and it was very enjoyable - yes definitely perfect for movies.

I ended up with a D2000 which you can definitely tell the similarities. That driver has a certain sound to it. The D2000 is one of the more linear of all the iterations, almost no bass hump (unlike the D600), but it still can't hit and go low.

Been enjoying the MDR-F1, I guess which is quite similar to the MA900 (which I want to hear, but is so hard to find now).

But absolutely floored by the XBA A3.

 

[Sp12er3]

D600 is a great can. Have owned it twice. The first pair I felt was better, not sure if it just sealed better or perhaps my memory of the first one wasn't correct. I really liked the presentation, and it was very enjoyable - yes definitely perfect for movies.

I ended up with a D2000 which you can definitely tell the similarities. That driver has a certain sound to it. The D2000 is one of the more linear of all the iterations, almost no bass hump (unlike the D600), but it still can't hit and go low.

Been enjoying the MDR-F1, I guess which is quite similar to the MA900 (which I want to hear, but is so hard to find now).

But absolutely floored by the XBA A3.

Ah yeah, just read your signatures and we both seem to have 2 headphone, one of them older model of the other haha.

I love my Denon, this I'm admittedly still in honeymoon period of it, but so far it's getting a lot more eartime indeed, it's a Can I think I'm willing to go around travel with if it's a couple days trip, if it isn't too bothersome of course. But most other time, the A3 is more than good enough for any portable, stationary use. I even like the comfort of it, with its only drawback it can't be used on the bed too comfortably with how it sticks out so much.

The Sony's open is famous for its featherweight and "gone from your head" comfort, and I love them for it. For the MA900, I think you can still find a new old stock around, it's what I did, looking around and got a good connection with a retailer 2 years ago, bought them at their selling price which was $212. Now they're a bit more rare true, but I still can find them new online, tho albeit at an inflated price.

It's a discontinued Sony with still no successor, I guess that's it for Sony's Open flagship, until they blow us away with a Signature Open model, or a new line of open headphone ....

Tho even then the MDR Z1R is good enough for it to replace the open MA, that thing is my endgame closed headphone goal.

 

[Love Music]

How does this compare to the oriolus hybrids like the finschi and forsteni? Or the acoustunes? Been trying to find something with DD bass, but with clear and detailed sound from a ba driver.

 

[Sp12er3]

Only stay here if you do love your bass.

 

[Love Music]

Only stay here if you do love your bass.

So it doesn't sound good for vocals?

 

[Sp12er3]

So it doesn't sound good for vocals?

Oh it's still fine, just that the amount of bass might be a tad much for you, especially if you're not used to a basshead headphone, the vocal and treble is still very clear, they just take a bit of a slight back stage compared to the authoritative bass.

It's a bit hard for me to explain, but


Lachlan's review explain what I hear to a T. The Z5 is very similar to the A3, so it's still a relevant video to watch.

He also compared impressions of the A3 and Z5 directly in there, so if you want to decide between the two Sony Hybrid as well.

 

[Malfunkt]

Oh it's still fine, just that the amount of bass might be a tad much for you, especially if you're not used to a basshead headphone, the vocal and treble is still very clear, they just take a bit of a slight back stage compared to the authoritative bass.

It's a bit hard for me to explain, but..


Lachlan's review explain what I hear to a T. The Z5 is very similar to the A3, so it's still a relevant video to watch.

He also compared impressions of the A3 and Z5 directly in there, so if you want to decide between the two Sony Hybrid as well.

Hey Sp12er3, have you heard the Z5?

Unfortunately, I lost my XBA A3 bike riding this past week. Must have fallen out of my backpack. Sigh.

Absolutely loved the A3, and I will be looking to replace them eventually with a Z5 or an N3.

 

[Sp12er3]

Unfortunately, I haven't. But that reviewer, Lachlan, have a very similar sound signature preference and hearing impressions to me you can take his impression as mine.

Short thought tho, the Sony Hybrid is the single audio gear I'd choose if you ask me what I'd keep if I HAVE to sell all of my other gear, it's just that versatile.
The fit might be not appropriate for every occasion, but the sound, I can bring just it and enjoy anything, gaming, music listening and even movie watching then come out feeling that I don't miss anything by not bringing my Fullsize.

If I ever lost it or it breaks, I'd buy the same A3, or the big bro Z5 or any Hybrid flagship that Sony release next (not the IER Z1R mind you, I'd need to sell some organs for that) as fast as I could.

 

[Love Music]

Oh it's still fine, just that the amount of bass might be a tad much for you, especially if you're not used to a basshead headphone, the vocal and treble is still very clear, they just take a bit of a slight back stage compared to the authoritative bass.

It's a bit hard for me to explain, but


Lachlan's review explain what I hear to a T. The Z5 is very similar to the A3, so it's still a relevant video to watch.

He also compared impressions of the A3 and Z5 directly in there, so if you want to decide between the two Sony Hybrid as well.

seems like what im looking for....thanks.

 

[vault108]

I am going to add XBA-A3 to my bucket list.
I am collecting XBA-Z5, MDR-EX800ST, and MDR-EX1000. So far I have MDR-EX800ST.
I need to get those MMCX adapter.

 

[Sp12er3]

I am going to add XBA-A3 to my bucket list.
I am collecting XBA-Z5, MDR-EX800ST, and MDR-EX1000. So far I have MDR-EX800ST.
I need to get those MMCX adapter.

What MMCX adapter?
Man I also so want to do that, I saw a posting for a used mdr 7550 in affordable price locally before, but when I can buy it it's gone..

Well GL for you bud.

 

[vault108]

What MMCX adapter?
Man I also so want to do that, I saw a posting for a used mdr 7550 in affordable price locally before, but when I can buy it it's gone..

Well GL for you bud.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mdr-ex1000-cable-replacement.856775/page-2#post-13724479
Convert old Sony proprietary connector to MMCX.
Buy MDR-EX800ST instead of MDR-7550. It's priced a lot cheaper.