[johnwamp55]

  +1 about the Z5 scaling with an amp, contrary to most of my former IEMs (SE846, IE800, PF232 among others), the improvement is *really* significant. 
 
Especially as pointed out by others the mids are fuller, the bass tighter that's true even if my FiiO E18. Run balanced with PHA-3 adds better soundstage and depth making those even more "3D", almost eerie ! I guess high end DAPs can match this, especially those who have a balanced output.

Great to hear and ooo yes the Z5 really scales with an amp. Now I reach for the Z5 over my Custom IEMs and other universal IEMs. I had the DX90 and have X5 and both didnt bring out the full potential of the Z5. I Demoed the AK240 and 120II and they also didnt do any better. Without an amp the Z5 were fun but would be ideal for a basshead or for people who only listen to Bass, Electronic or EDM music. With an amp the Z5 can do everything is neutral when called for and pounds the bass when needed. Treble is forwards and clear and mids are wider and more up front but not up front as the Shure House sound but the Z5 mids are actually clearer and more analog.

 

[Charlie Norwood]

Just got my z5 yesterday and I love them so much!
BTW have anyone tried sony's upgrade cable for z5? I read some brief discussions in several Chinese forums saying that gives z5 a bit more mid and a bit less bass pushing the vocal forward. But the connection is somewhat loose.

I have the upgrade cables, sound and ergonomics are definitely improved over the stock cables with the memory foam. However, yes, the connection on them is a little loose, almost to the point where it seems like it was intended to be that way, but probably is a design flaw.
 
Seems to be a standard issue based on comments on the sony site http://store.sony.com/high-performance-portable-audio-cable-for-xba-z5-zid27-MUCM12SM1/cat-27-catid-All-Portable-Audio-Cables
 
I'm currently looking in to getting some custom cables from someplace like Forza (based on comments earlier in this thread). If you can swing the price, I would advise going that route over the sony ones.

 

[Kunlun]

I've been using mine with the apex glacier. V nice synergy. 

I have a glacier and I'm very happy with it.

More comparisons between the z5 and 846/k3003/ie800 are welcome as I've heard all three (just went back and spent another hour with the k3003) and own the ie800.

 

[Sound Eq]

  +1 about the Z5 scaling with an amp, contrary to most of my former IEMs (SE846, IE800, PF232 among others), the improvement is *really* significant. 
 
Especially as pointed out by others the mids are fuller, the bass tighter that's true even if my FiiO E18. Run balanced with PHA-3 adds better soundstage and depth making those even more "3D", almost eerie ! I guess high end DAPs can match this, especially those who have a balanced output.

i am considering make my purchase by end of this week, i already have an alo mk3 B, which i am connecting to my ifi micro dsd, i was wondering if my setup will make the z5 shine like what u described with pha-3

 

[chilledunit]

Which tips are people finding good with these? I'm struggling with the comfort of both the supplied types.

I have some lovely triple flange silicone tips but am a bit worried they'll really make the monitors stick out from my ears and lose stability. They're also going to be a bit of a struggle to wrestle on to the monitor body.

 

[metaroid]

Which tips are people finding good with these? I'm struggling with the comfort of both the supplied types.

I have some lovely triple flange silicone tips but am a bit worried they'll really make the monitors stick out from my ears and lose stability. They're also going to be a bit of a struggle to wrestle on to the monitor body.

The stock tips also made my ears uncomfortable so I used the Comply tx-200 tips which are much more comfortable to my ears. I think z5 is compatible with all the 200 tips of Comply. Here is their website: http://www.complyfoam.com/
I feel the tips changed the sound signature a little bit, adding some more bass. The change is very slight though.

 

[chilledunit]

The stock tips also made my ears uncomfortable so I used the Comply tx-200 tips which are much more comfortable to my ears. I think z5 is compatible with all the 200 tips of Comply. Here is their website: http://www.complyfoam.com/
I feel the tips changed the sound signature a little bit, adding some more bass. The change is very slight though.

Thanks, I'll take a look at those!

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

Which tips are people finding good with these? I'm struggling with the comfort of both the supplied types.

I have some lovely triple flange silicone tips but am a bit worried they'll really make the monitors stick out from my ears and lose stability. They're also going to be a bit of a struggle to wrestle on to the monitor body.

 
Id go spinfits man. headfi-er Dopaminer sells em from tokyo. Just PM him 

I did the whole comply thing for 3 years before realising to my ears they really muffle the sound. They do isolate a touch better ill admit. I went back to silicons on my old iems (Inear Stagedivers) and the clarity and punch was a bit better. But the comfort not so much. 
 
Spinfits are the best of both worlds as they insert deeper than std tips. 

 

[chilledunit]

Id go spinfits man. headfi-er Dopaminer sells em from tokyo. Just PM him 


I did the whole comply thing for 3 years before realising to my ears they really muffle the sound. They do isolate a touch better ill admit. I went back to silicons on my old iems (Inear Stagedivers) and the clarity and punch was a bit better. But the comfort not so much. 

Spinfits are the best of both worlds as they insert deeper than std tips. 

Cheers, I'll take a look I did see some of the Comply tips have an extra baffle (waxguard?) over the port. I did also get round to trying my silicone triple flange tips last night and they altered the sound a huge amount, even when I cut them right down so that the largest flange was covering part of the monitor body, so it seems like the Z5's sound is really influenced by tip choice. The other IEM's I've used (Shure 535's and Pioneer,s newer ones) have been fairly good about maintaining their sound with all kind of tips.

Thanks for the heads up

 

[hongky]

   
Id go spinfits man. headfi-er Dopaminer sells em from tokyo. Just PM him 

I did the whole comply thing for 3 years before realising to my ears they really muffle the sound. They do isolate a touch better ill admit. I went back to silicons on my old iems (Inear Stagedivers) and the clarity and punch was a bit better. But the comfort not so much. 
 
Spinfits are the best of both worlds as they insert deeper than std tips. 

For me spinfits reduce bass significantly. Is it the same for you ?

 

[johnwamp55]

 
For me spinfits reduce bass significantly. Is it the same for you ?

I want the same amount of bass not less!

 

[Dobrescu George]

I am also interested in how this iem performs against ie800 and k3003, more importantly how it performs in the soundstage and separation.

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

 
For me spinfits reduce bass significantly. Is it the same for you ?

 
I did think this was the case at first yeah. And I marginally still kinda agree but all in all the spinfits open the sound up more and make it more visceral. If bass is affected it is just tightened up a bit which imo is a good thing. I must give the sony hybrids a go again but before I found them to close in the soundstage, make it more intimate and maybe more meaty sounding. they were not comfortable in my ears though. The spin fit deeper insertion also improves isolation (from what I remember) 

 

[johnwamp55]

  I am also interested in how this iem performs against ie800 and k3003, more importantly how it performs in the soundstage and separation.

with an amp I prefer it over my JH13 and JH16. 

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

  I am also interested in how this iem performs against ie800 and k3003, more importantly how it performs in the soundstage and separation.

 
I have tried the ie800 before in  quiet environment and remember them being like the hd650 ...the z5 is also like the hd650 but the imaging is just insane. I never heard an iem like this personally. It is a bit weird for the first while. But is really impressive in all. In a noisey environment the ie800 sounded just crap to my ears. the ports dont seal well and the insertion is in no way up to mark on the z5.