[jinque]

Hi everyone, finally received my H3 from Japan 3 days ago, and been spending the weekend listening to it while comparing it with my beloved EX1000 (Japanese version). I listened to some of my reference tracks played though the AK100.  


P.S. I am waiting for the new Sony Hi-Res Audio campaign products (the Sony NW ZX1 and the Sony PHA-2), hoping that, the true capabilities of the H3 will be heard.                                                     

 


Thanks for the comparison. If you had to buy one or the other, do you think the EX1000 is worth an extra $100 over the H3?

 

[Simon T]

 

Thanks for the comparison. If you had to buy one or the other, do you think the EX1000 is worth an extra $100 over the H3?

 
Short answer: Yes, I would spend the extra $100 for the EX1000, from the sound fidelity stand point.
 
But, let me tell you what happened to me in office and with some of my friends (people that do not want to admit or can't listen to differences between Apple earpods vs. higher end earphones) the last few days. As I am using the H3 as my primary portable earphones.
 
1st - people tell me that the earphones look cool (never happened before when I was listening with the EX1000)
2nd - people ask me few more questions about the H3 (discussion usually slows down/stops when I mention the price range of the EX1000)
3rd - some of my friends (defined above),after testing them, suddenly want to do more research of higher end earphones
 
Hope the above is of help to you jinque
 
Cheers

 

[MyronGaines]

Hi, I just signed up for this forum to ask about this new iem I bought. The Sony MDR-7550, I own the MDR ex310lp earphones as well. To me they sound identical, and the 7550's sound less loud on the same volume level. They also dont have the premium feel I would expect from something that costs $250 dollars. Sounding the same as earphones that I bought for 80, the ex310lp from Sony. Anybody have reasons for this? Thanks.

 

[zaim]

The H3's have dropped from £263 to £212 on Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Headphones-Dynamic-Balanced-Armature/dp/B00FB5DEQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381711213&sr=8-1&keywords=Sony+XBA-H3

 

[carfentanil]

I have owned the EX300LP, which probably sounds very similar to the EX310, and find the XBA-H1 to have significantly more clarity than the EX300 had. Both are fun-sounding but next to the H1, the 300 is something of a muddy mess when it comes to sound. The EX300 sounded slightly 'bigger' in sound. The H1 feels better built than the 300, but only time will tell. It definitely looks and feels more like a $150-quality product than the EX300 for $80 (60 my price.)

I have no experience with the 7550 but it has a very good reputation among top-tier IEMs here at head-fi.

 

[Sauntere]

  Hi, I just signed up for this forum to ask about this new iem I bought. The Sony MDR-7550, I own the MDR ex310lp earphones as well. To me they sound identical, and the 7550's sound less loud on the same volume level. They also dont have the premium feel I would expect from something that costs $250 dollars. Sounding the same as earphones that I bought for 80, the ex310lp from Sony. Anybody have reasons for this? Thanks.

It could be due to your source... I expect the MDR-7550 will scale better....

 

[MyronGaines]

I'm using the newest ipod touch, btw is that tape over the vents mod safe to do? or will it damage them over time?

 

[james444]

The vent mod is safe if you poke a tiny hole through the duct tape to allow depressurization. That said, the MDR-7550 have no bass bloat and don't need that mod at all.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Just unboxed mine.  Check it out.
 

 

[Jackson 6]

Well, the day has come, I could resist it no longer, I've ordered the H3. They say once you've gone to 16mm, you never go back, and it's supposed to be better than the driver in my XB90ex, which augers well. Plus, with my dislike of the one BA in the xba -1, I'm pleased to have two BA's at last. I don't give a flying fig newton if it's a bass cannon, as i love both my xb in ears as it is,and the frequency range is superior to my 90's, so cannon's firing or no, the EQ should suffer no loss, only potential gain. I haven't been spoiled by the JH 13 freqphase,so ignorance is bliss-anything over £1K is a hi fi system in my eyes at present anyway.
 
I'm expecting my Walkman to perhaps not have the power to run 'em, so I'll probably start off with the FiiO e12, or possibly the slightly more expensive new Musical fidelity amp, so I can still enjoy my 90's on the move, and, to a lesser extent my 41's,but they'l do all the same. I've got a Sony over ear with studio monitoring pretensions if i fancy that, and a 510 for more of the same in in ear, so all FQ styles should be sated with the new arrival.
 
The detail and clarity of my 90's set my mind at rest re the 7550, albeit it's a superior in ear, and I can't look at the £500 plus for the ex 1000. I'll have the same kind of quality driver in the H3, as long as it isn't drowned of it's goodness by the BA's, it should be OK. I'm hoping for a lack of sibilance, but it's a trademark I've learned to ignore with long Sony in ear usage.
 
It should be a good bet for the next dap upgrade; I don't need the X1, the F886 should do. 9mm and one BA scared me off the H1, plus the advice from Sony HQ that it wasn't as good as, or an improvement on, my 90. What damage the xba-1 did, and now i fear I'll never know the 30 or 40. A shame, but there it is. 
 
Watch this space, hopefully HiFi man will post ahead of me.

 

[waynes world]

  Just unboxed mine.  Check it out.

 
Nice video! Thanks. Man they're big lol!

 

[james444]

  Well, the day has come, I could resist it no longer, I've ordered the H3. They say once you've gone to 16mm, you never go back, and it's supposed to be better than the driver in my XB90ex, which augers well. Plus, with my dislike of the one BA in the xba -1, I'm pleased to have two BA's at last. I don't give a flying fig newton if it's a bass cannon, as i love both my xb in ears as it is,and the frequency range is superior to my 90's, so cannon's firing or no, the EQ should suffer no loss, only potential gain. I haven't been spoiled by the JH 13 freqphase,so ignorance is bliss-anything over £1K is a hi fi system in my eyes at present anyway.
 
I'm expecting my Walkman to perhaps not have the power to run 'em, so I'll probably start off with the FiiO e12, or possibly the slightly more expensive new Musical fidelity amp, so I can still enjoy my 90's on the move, and, to a lesser extent my 41's,but they'l do all the same. I've got a Sony over ear with studio monitoring pretensions if i fancy that, and a 510 for more of the same in in ear, so all FQ styles should be sated with the new arrival.
 
The detail and clarity of my 90's set my mind at rest re the 7550, albeit it's a superior in ear, and I can't look at the £500 plus for the ex 1000. I'll have the same kind of quality driver in the H3, as long as it isn't drowned of it's goodness by the BA's, it should be OK. I'm hoping for a lack of sibilance, but it's a trademark I've learned to ignore with long Sony in ear usage.
 
It should be a good bet for the next dap upgrade; I don't need the X1, the F886 should do. 9mm and one BA scared me off the H1, plus the advice from Sony HQ that it wasn't as good as, or an improvement on, my 90. What damage the xba-1 did, and now i fear I'll never know the 30 or 40. A shame, but there it is. 
 
Watch this space, hopefully HiFi man will post ahead of me.

 
The H3's upper mids and highs are well behaved and a tad laid back, so sibilance isn't much of a problem in my book. 
 
As for power, I've never been someone who noticed much improvement on my IEMs with amps, but the H3s seem to be more power hungry than most other IEMs I've heard. Therefore I'm not sure whether the F886 will be able to drive them to their full potential. I've auditioned this DAP a few days ago with the K3003 and it sounded excellent, but it didn't seem to provide more driving power than my older A845. Sadly I didn't have the H3 with me to try them with the F886, but I'd think something like the Fiio X3 or a small external amp might probably be a better match for them.
 
Btw, I can attest that output impedance doesn't seem to be a problem with the H3, 'cause among my sources they sound best from the Graham Slee Voyager amp, which has an OI of 30 ohms or so.

 

[Jackson 6]

Thanks for that James, I'll either go for a small amp to keep it bike mobile, or a slightly larger one to keep it walking mobile. Pleasing news with your K3003, but the H3 is nearly 3X the Ohms of my 90 so i can't really expect to get results from my MOTR Walkman;it would be nice if I could, but I'm not sweating it. Sony claim 'Master Amplification' with the F886 but it's obviously not that master. A chap who co-owned this with a Z said the Z had a bit more power. Could you tell me the ohm's of your K? Thanks.

 

[Simon T]

  Well, the day has come, I could resist it no longer, I've ordered the H3. They say once you've gone to 16mm, you never go back, and it's supposed to be better than the driver in my XB90ex, which augers well. 

 
Happy to read this, maybe the nice unboxing video from HiFiGuy528 did the trick ... by the way Jackson 6, next weekend I am going for a business trip and the Sony store in that particular country is carrying the XB90EX, If you receive the H3 before next weekend, would you please give me a quick sound comparison btw the H3 and the XB90EX? 
 

  It should be a good bet for the next dap upgrade; I don't need the X1, the F886 should do. 9mm and one BA scared me off the H1, plus the advice from Sony HQ that it wasn't as good as, or an improvement on, my 90. What damage the xba-1 did, and now i fear I'll never know the 30 or 40. A shame, but there it is. 

 
My Japanese friend told me that the ZX1 will be out in Japan on Dec 7, I have asked her to check whether a non-Japanese speaking/reading person like me would be able to fully operate the player i.e. the UI navigation is in English and/or Android/Google Pay is not limited to Japan only (since as of now it will only be released in Japan).
 
If anyone knows or can find out the answer/s of my concerns. Please let me know.
 
Thank you
 
Cheers

 

[Jackson 6]

Hi Simon, Not expecting the H3 'till Saturday sadly, plus with overnight burn in will post sunday. You won't be unhappy with the 90, I will still use it even if the H3 blows it away.