[gerelmx1986]

  It's probably better and different though. It has more bass. So for some people, H3 has enough bass and they wouldn't get the Z5. I'm not sure if you are satisfied with H3's bass.
For me, there is not enough subbass. So Z5 might be a potential buy. But it's kind of too expensive for me.

I like the bass of the H3, i feel them at times bassy, and yes the Z5 price seems to be too high for me too, maybe another option would be the XBA-A3, tumored to have the same bass of H3 but widened soundstage and better mids & highs

 

[Mini0510]

  I like the bass of the H3, i feel them at times bassy, and yes the Z5 price seems to be too high for me too, maybe another option would be the XBA-A3, tumored to have the same bass of H3 but widened soundstage and better mids & highs
 

I would like more bass than H3 though. Definitely more sub-bass. Let the speculation continue!
 
 
Quote:

  vocals are a bit forward than H3 in my memory, quiet standout, but just a bit. the most that Z5 caught my ears is the bass, quantity is a lot and punch really hard, far harder than H3.

Doesn't this mean that Z5 is like border line bassh heavy IEM? IE800 and Ultrasone IQ are considered in my opinion borderline bass heavy IEM. Judging from your use of words, it seems like the bass region is around at least 2-3dB higher than H3.
 

  I am no expert, but I would say the bass produced by H3 focuses more on the mid-bass region, the lowest, deepest end of the bass, does not reflect in many songs that I heard. I think that's why some others saying that H3 does not produce the full body of bass.
 
Z5's bass does not like H3, It is very powerful and punch really hard and very deep to reflect the whole body of the bass, which is a  really wonderful listening experience. I auditioned Z5 again with my ZX1 yesterday at Sony Store, reviewed most of the songs and confirmed the bass is much more powerful than in H3. Z5 is not hard to drive and paired perfectly with my ZX1!
 

By powerful, do you mean bass heavy? I would be surprised if it has as much bass as IE80, FX850, etc.

 

[Kunlun]

Seems like lomenhk has been very clear and helpful about the facts that he hears the z5 as a bass-first earphone that has more sub-bass than the h3 and as an earphone with a dark tonality which keeps the mids and treble clear.
 
Thanks again to lomenhk.
 
I hope to hear these eventually, but the first-listener impressions have been very helpful.

 

[Sauntere]

They are available from Price Japan now for $606 shipped to US and $693 shipped to Oztraylya.

 

[vlenbo]

 
They are available from Price Japan now for $606 shipped to US and $693 shipped to Oztraylya.

Yeah, Osutoraria.

 

[mark9104]

Oh no....I was close to buying the H3 when price starts to go down but after listening to it twice I just can't take the bass. I found it to be very bloated in mid bass and I am not a basshead. End up sticking with my xba30. Thought I would waited for Z5 in hope it would be a replacement for ex1000, guess not...
 
Lomenhk are they available in HK Sony store? I should go check that out sometimes then since I am in HK as well

 

[audionewbi]

They are available from Price Japan now for $606 shipped to US and $693 shipped to Oztraylya.

I think we are not going to get the z5 but z7 is confirmed.

I hope to be proven wrong. I really want to find the next ex-1000 from Sony.

 

[lomenhk]

Z5 will be available in HK on Oct 31.

 

[mark9104]

Thanks, will definitely check it out myself

 

[espresso]

I've tried this IEM in an exhibition last Saturday.
 
Really love the sound it produces.
 
The bass is deep, but not excessive and not overpowering the high and mid.
 
The treble is not fatiguing yet retain its clarity.
 
Lightweight and despite the "unique" design it has, it is so comfortable. The seal is quite good even in a very crowded room as an exhibition hall where I was trying it.

 

[violencer]

deleted.

 

[lomenhk]

  Doesn't this mean that Z5 is like border line bassh heavy IEM? IE800 and Ultrasone IQ are considered in my opinion borderline bass heavy IEM. Judging from your use of words, it seems like the bass region is around at least 2-3dB higher than H3.
 
By powerful, do you mean bass heavy? I would be surprised if it has as much bass as IE80, FX850, etc.

Exactly as you described. Bass is very heavy, what I mean is it is very deep and punches very hard. I enjoy it very very much! However, Z5 controls the bass very well. It is not overwhelming and does not interfere mid and high.
 
I would like to describe more on my setup while testing. I EQ my ZX1 with ClearBass from level 0 to 10. At level 0, bass already quiet heavy, the bass punches very very hard when CB is set at maximum level 10, it is still not overwhelming. It goes very very deep and the punch is very powerful. It is so fantastic!!
 
I have not had a chance to listen FX850 but I have listened IE80. I reckon with my same set up above (CB = 10), the bass of Z5 is about the bass of IE80 when its notch is set at level 3-4. But the bass quality of Z5 is much much better than IE80 (the whole soundstage, imagery win a lot).

 

[Mini0510]

  Exactly as you described. Bass is very heavy, what I mean is it is very deep and punches very hard. I enjoy it very very much! However, Z5 controls the bass very well. It is not overwhelming and does not interfere mid and high.
 
I would like to describe more on my setup while testing. I EQ my ZX1 with ClearBass from level 0 to 10. At level 0, bass already quiet heavy, the bass punches very very hard when CB is set at maximum level 10, it is still not overwhelming. It goes very very deep and the punch is very powerful. It is so fantastic!!
 
I have not had a chance to listen FX850 but I have listened IE80. I reckon with my same set up above (CB = 10), the bass of Z5 is about the bass of IE80 when its notch is set at level 3-4. But the bass quality of Z5 is much much better than IE80 (the whole soundstage, imagery win a lot).

Wow Thanks for confirming.
 
 
 
Im curious though why Sony did this. Since they are going to lose some customers who already thinks that H3 has plenty of bass. Is this a more friendly consumer approach to gain more customers? But the general public is not going to spend $600-$700 on an IEM.

 

[lomenhk]

  Wow Thanks for confirming.
 
 
 
Im curious though why Sony did this. Since they are going to lose some customers who already thinks that H3 has plenty of bass. Is this a more friendly consumer approach to gain more customers? But the general public is not going to spend $600-$700 on an IEM.

So the XBA-A3 would satisfy. Housing shape and design is the same as Z5(shine colour housing, not matte as Z5, shape is the same), sound is like Z5 but everything down a level, more economic pricing at HK$2,980/US$385.
 
XBA-A3 still sounds pretty well when pairing with ZX1, better than my previous H3, I also enjoy it very much, but of course Z5 is supreme!

 

[nehcrow]

  Exactly as you described. Bass is very heavy, what I mean is it is very deep and punches very hard. I enjoy it very very much! However, Z5 controls the bass very well. It is not overwhelming and does not interfere mid and high.
 
I would like to describe more on my setup while testing. I EQ my ZX1 with ClearBass from level 0 to 10. At level 0, bass already quiet heavy, the bass punches very very hard when CB is set at maximum level 10, it is still not overwhelming. It goes very very deep and the punch is very powerful. It is so fantastic!!
 
I have not had a chance to listen FX850 but I have listened IE80. I reckon with my same set up above (CB = 10), the bass of Z5 is about the bass of IE80 when its notch is set at level 3-4. But the bass quality of Z5 is much much better than IE80 (the whole soundstage, imagery win a lot).

I think because the Z5 is probably quicker and speedier than the IE80 it gives the illusion of punching harder than the IE80, often bass bloated earphones aren't as punchy as quicker headphones I've noticed
 
If I'm wrong, then Z5 has crazy amounts of bass