[D3Seeker]

   
Sony UK has them up for preorder, expected delivery Sept 30 - Oct 1.

 
Sony UK seems to be getting all the goodies early as of late (well this and the F886 as far as I've seen)

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

   
Sony UK seems to be getting all the goodies early as of late (well this and the F886 as far as I've seen)

Makes me wonder, UK customers spend more on Sony products than US.
 
When it comes to retail stores, seems Sony doesnt want to sell their higher-end audio outside of SonyStyle maybe due large volume of returns
or lack of selling.
 
Looks like we are in for some importing soon.

 

[DigitalFreak]

  Makes me wonder, UK customers spend more on Sony products than US.
 
When it comes to retail stores, seems Sony doesnt want to sell their higher-end audio outside of SonyStyle maybe due large volume of returns
or lack of selling.
 
Looks like we are in for some importing soon.

Well, with Sony Canada half of their upper tier stuff is never available. Most Canadians have to either import or, if they're lucky, they find a third party seller somewhere in Canada. Seems like Canada isn't considered a big enough market share for Sony to bother with their complete lineup. Most of the products they offer on Sony Canada is low or mid tier offerings.

 

[stimer]

 
The best of everything goes to the domestic market of Japan

 

[klfl]

   
The best of everything goes to the domestic market of Japan

 
Sony only include the crappy cable with the US version of EX1000. Also several previous walkman models have noise cancellation only on Japanese versions.

 

[FenderP]

   
The best of everything goes to the domestic market of Japan

 
 
Not always true anymore. With the latest line of Vaios (pre-IFA) - specifcially  the Pro - Japan got the matte screen option (also available in Europe, but not the US) and the red editions (which are now everywhere). Usually Japan on their CTO Vaios would get better processor, SSD, memory, etc. Not this time. In fact, the Pro 11 has an 8GB CTO option that as of last week, I didn't see being offered in Japan.
 
With some things - like the higher capacity Walkman - I would agree that has been true. And Japan still gets ATRAC compatibility, but that's besides the point. The fact remains that Sony sells more Walkmans in Japan than they do here in the USA.

 

[FenderP]

   
Sony only include the crappy cable with the US version of EX1000. Also several previous walkman models have noise cancellation only on Japanese versions.

 
All of the Sony Walkmans generally have it - but you need the corresponding Sony headphones to go with them. It's not like NC works with any brand or even models. For example, something like the EX1000 won't work.

 

[klfl]

   
All of the Sony Walkmans generally have it - but you need the corresponding Sony headphones to go with them. 

 
Not really, for example the Z1000 series in the US have no ANC feature, also the GPS has been droped.
 
Quote:

   
It's not like NC works with any brand or even models. For example, something like the EX1000 won't work.

 
 
It is common knowledge that you need special headphone like NC20 to get the ANC to work. No need to argue about that.

 

[FenderP]

   
Not really, for example the Z1000 series in the US have no ANC feature, also the GPS has been droped.
 
Quote:

   
It's not like NC works with any brand or even models. For example, something like the EX1000 won't work.

 
 
It is common knowledge that you need special headphone like NC20 to get the ANC to work. No need to argue about that.

 
The thing is, it's not common knowledge. People don't always read the fine print that they can't just plug in any old set of cans or IEMs and have that stuff work.
 
And truth be told, I've never cracked one open nor have I had a US model of Walkman in awhile, but I would be that internally, things are most likely the same and it's somehow firmware disabled for some of these features. It makes no sense for Sony to have, say, differnet motherboards for each country. That's a lot of retooling. I admit I may be wrong here, but I think there's a chance I may not be.

 

[jant71]

Don't know where the thread is headed, lol. Do we know if the cables are the same this time for the H2 and H3? Doubt they are different this time. I suspect what they will do here in North America is not include both cables which saves them money. They might just sell regular and IP versions separately.
 
Right now Sony Asia says this "Detachable Cords (2) 1.2m detachable ear hanger OFC cable with In-line remote & microphone, 1.2m detachable ear hanger OFC cable" while the UK site says "Detachable ear hanger cord with remote control (approx. 1.2m OFC Litz cord)"
 
So, two cables vs. one outside of Asia but I do think they will be the same. Hopefully

 

[james444]

  I have a very positive experience with EX-1000, my only issue with is the highs, in terms of bass quality and fit and comfort it is he best I have in my current gears. 

If they can find a way to maintain the EX-1000 current quality, perhaps make the bass to go deeper and fix the highs at the current selling price it should make a lot of high end custom makers who make CIEM for music enthusiastic really nervous. 
 
I hope the news about EX-1000 designer been incharge of this project is true and whomever was incharge of tuning XBA-4 is far way from this project. 
 
All I know I am excited as only sony can make enough of it at high volume without ridiculously prices that was currently see in the high end hybrid market (eg the K3003).
 
AKG should be really nervous right about now.

 
AKG will be sleeping safe and sound, as these will still be massively prone to wind noise like the EX1000, so no real competitors for outside use.

 
That said, I'm a huge EX1000 fan (despite their few shortcomings), so call me intrigued.
 

  This set-up seems to exactly fix what you mention, the highs and midhighs. Yup, same designer as EX1000, he is the guy who established the design of the off-axis Sony dynamics. K3003 seems more like a statement product by AKG, basically saying "look we can engineer a great sounding product using a difficult design, we deserve more prestige in the IEM realm". The price just speaks to that, definitely overpriced but it's really one of the best IEMs there is, but if there is one company that can surpass it or be on par using the same hybrid-design, it's Sony. All these smaller companies doing hybrid designs just don't have the means and expertise like Sony or AKG,which is why most hybrids are actually very poor IME. 

 
Even though I'm intrigued by a hybrid from Sony, I sincerely hope they don't ****** up timbre while they "fix" the highs. Going by my experience with the XBA-3/4 and EX600/1000, their current BAs are voiced quite differently from their dynamics. Now, I'm not saying they can't pull a high-end hybrid off, but chances are about even imo that the H3 may end up sounding worse than the EX1000 overall.

 

[Inks]

AKG will be sleeping safe and sound, as these will still be massively prone to wind noise like the EX1000, so no real competitors for outside use.

That said, I'm a huge EX1000 fan (despite their few shortcomings), so call me intrigued.


Even though I'm intrigued by a hybrid from Sony, I sincerely hope they don't ****** up timbre while they "fix" the highs. Going by my experience with the XBA-3/4 and EX600/1000, their current BAs are voiced quite differently from their dynamics. Now, I'm not saying they can't pull a high-end hybrid off, but chances are about even imo that the H3 may end up sounding worse than the EX1000 overall.

The midhighs and treble of the EX1000 should be easy to surpass, it's kind of messy there. What may go wrong is the bass, hope they keep it like the EX1000. EX1000 with a deep fit and straight down fit doesn't have the wind problem ime, can do the same with these.

 

[zain]

Acclaimed musical duo Hurts 

collaborate with Sony engineers to design in-ear headphones with superb sound  
wooooooooooow!!!!wooooooooooow!!!!woooow!!!!
I think Sony is good competitor t-peos, t-peos undeservedly much worth. Sony [COLOR=0E5FD8]XBA-H1[/COLOR] - [COLOR=FF6600]£99.00, [/COLOR]good price)))
[COLOR=656565]The new XBA-H3 and XBA-H1 premium in-ear headphones from Sony are available in Europe from the end of October.[/COLOR]
You've got the money out of my pocket!!!

I wanna get the h1's , are you sure they're coming out at the end of October , cus if you pre-order it ,it says it will be delivered on October 1st I think..... Not sure just wondering

 

[colwaximi]

I had known the EX1000 designer had been working on a new iem, no idea it was a hybrid!

 

[EximiusNebula]

Excited to see what these sound like!