Jephre
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2007
- Posts
- 183
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- 78
Yeah, I know what you mean. I've been looking at TOTL Campfire offerings, but I'm quite reticent to pull the trigger on either an Andro or Dorado while I have the N3 in my arsenal.
One thing I've got to say is that there really doesn't seem to be much noise about the N3. There are no reviews from the usual suspects, and for what is an IEM that IMO punches well above it's price point there's really only this relatively tiny thread. It kind of makes the N3 a bit of secret diamond in the headphone world.
I'm not surprised by the lack of reviews for Sony products. I think the current audiophile mindset leans toward small producers. It's like the beer industry - where products from a big name producer like Coors don't get as much respect or attention vs. a small craft brewery.
Can a big name producer make an audiophile IEM with market-leading technology? Absolutely - e.g. Beyerdynamic's Xelento and T8ie MK2.
I think Sony has done something amazing in the N3s. It's an audiophile headphone that blows most >$300 to <$1000 mid-fi out of the water In terms of musicality and clarity. Easy to wear, carry around, with the best quality non-adjustable bass I've heard from an IEM. The mids (upper and lower) are clear and the highs are smooth. These headphones really amp me up, and the overall sound signature is truly engaging and balanced. It's exactly what I was looking for in a hybrid IEM. It's the very definition of coherent.
Compared to the Andromeda, the N3 sounds richer, but doesn't have the same sense of space and revealing of details. If you're planning to upgrade to the Andromeda - it may sound a tad thinner than what you're used to.
Of my IEMs, I would rank them - Andromeda > Sony XBA-N3 >> InEar Prophile-8 in terms of enjoyment.
If ranking by technical ability, it would be InEar Prophile-8 >> Andromeda > Sony XBA-N3.
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